Caged Wings
by DestinyHead123
Summary: There was a time where Ash Ketchum would've considered living a normal life. However, a chance meeting with a girl opened up the doorway that led to his dream of changing the world and the title of Pokemon Master. But to incite a change and achieve his dreams would require a journey like no other. * AU, The First Epic of Ash Ketchum. A VERY different take on a journey, Mature Ash.
1. Where It All Began

**A/N**

Re-telling Ash's journey has been such a hot topic around here lately that I thought I'd do something different. Like _way_ different.

So here's your forewarning, this AU is absolutely enormous. But rather than talk about all of the things that are different in an author's note, I'll just flesh out my story and let it do the talking.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing at all.

So, with that, you may read.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

 _We all have a pair of wings._

 _Big or small, they're all the same._

 _Our wings take us to new heights, to our goals, our hopes…our dreams._

 _But then there's those of us who can't take flight. Their wings are bound up. They're stuffed into cages._

 _So, they raise their voices and await the day that they too, can take flight._

* * *

 _-X-X-X-X-X-_

* * *

 _One choice, made in the fraction of a second. Thoughtless or premeditated, you did something._

 _Was it significant? Now that's the question._

 _To be honest, you won't really know. It's not until you're staring at the results of said decision that you finally realize what you've done._

 _With a glance around the barren walls of his room, this young man knew he could've made a better choice somewhere down the line. He sighed and readjusted himself on the stiff mattress which groaned in protest._

 _Now he had all the time in the world to figure out how he ended up here._

* * *

 **Friday, September 2nd**

Darach was a very proud man, even if he didn't show in his stoicism. He loved his profession of serving people. It brought him a sense of satisfaction that was unlike anything else he experienced. In the household he was responsible for, he was often the first rise and prepare the first day of the meal for the family. Today was no exception to this routine.

He completed his first task of the day early, affording him some time to sit at the head of the dining room table and read the morning paper. Quietly skimming over the cover article, Darach raised his eyebrows.

Yet another story about the growing concerns related to violence and Pokemon, both of which seemed to come hand in hand. The article was covering the aftermath of a Pokemon battle that took place downtown in the shipyards, causing some considerable damage to one of the cranes on the docks. The image for the cover article showed the remains of the collapsed crane along with a handful of investigators.

Darach often wondered what sparked these Pokemon battles, and how these creatures could be so reckless that they damaged their surroundings. With the powers they possessed, he would imagine that they would be able to exercise proper restraint and self-control. However, that clearly wasn't the case based on the damage done in the picture.

Hearing some footsteps from above, Darach promptly folded the newspaper he held as his leisure time was coming to an end. He rose from his seat and approached the island at the center of the kitchen to wait for his company. After a few moments, a young blue haired beauty entered the kitchen and greeted him.

"Good morning Miss Dawn," Darach said politely, giving her a small and respectful bow.

"Good morning Darach." She replied with a grateful nod. She quickly followed this action by striking a pose, using one hand to flip her hair extravagantly as though she were modeling. "What do you think of this outfit?"

"Now Miss Dawn, you know our opinions differ greatly when it comes to the matter of dress and grooming." Darach pointed out to her in response.

"And that's exactly why I want to hear it. As a designer, I need to hear other opinions to see how they can influence my work." Dawn explained to him as she struck another pose for him. "So, come on tell me what you think."

With a disgruntled sigh, Darach studied her idly. Her clothes were nothing out of the ordinary, at least for her. A bright blouse tucked into a pair of designer denim jeans.

"I suppose it's... _appropriate_ for your first day of school. It should give a good first impression to your mentors and peers." Darach stated, and Dawn smiled contently. Darach sighed inwardly, glad that he said enough to satisfy her.

"Why thank you Darach." Dawn said kindly as she joined him by the island, heading straight for the glass jar of lollipops.

"What have I told you about sweets in the morning Miss Dawn?" Darach asked her after she popped off the lid, reaching into the jar to snatch a pair for herself.

"They're just a treat for _later_ , geez Darach." Dawn replied exasperatedly as she tucked them into her pocket. Taking a quick glance around the kitchen, Dawn noticed that someone was missing. "Did dad leave for work already?"

"Yes, Mr. Berlitz left about twenty minutes ago." Darach revealed as Dawn eyed the newspaper he placed on the counter.

"Dad's not happy about that huh?" Dawn commented as she motioned toward the paper.

"He was..." Darach trailed off, recalling how irate the man was after seeing the article earlier this morning. "Less than pleased."

"Well at least no one got hurt, right?" Dawn inquired, receiving a nod from Darach.

"There was no one manning that particular dock last night, so thankfully no one was hurt when the crane was damaged," Darach explained, paraphrasing what he read earlier.

"Are you two talking about the news article from yesterday?" A woman in her late thirties asked as she entered the kitchen. She was sporting some royal blue hair like her daughter.

"Ah, Madam Johanna, good morning again." Darach said, bowing to the woman.

"Yeah mom, Darach was telling me how upset dad was." Dawn explained to her mother who gave a nod of agreement. She was been up earlier to see a portion of his reaction. Johanna joined them at the island, immediately reaching into the jar of lollipops to take a few for herself.

"Madam, sweets in the morning?" Darach asked her, one eyebrow raised.

"Oh, shut it Darach you know they're for later today." Johanna snapped at him, earning a snort from the butler.

The women of this house had an insatiable sweet tooth, and they spared no expense trying to satisfy their cravings. Oddly enough, neither of them experienced the consequences of eating so many sweets. Their teeth were in perfect condition.

"Are you ready to go Dawn?" Her mother asked as she tucked her treats into her pocketbook.

"I'm ready when you are." Dawn replied.

"Great, let's go then. The car is in the driveway already." Johanna stated as the two of them left the kitchen, giving Darach a wave on their way out.

Darach waited a few moments, listening as their footsteps faded. After a few moments, he set his gaze on the lollipop jar, scanning its contents. Soon enough his eyes settled on a green wrap near the bottom, _his favorite_. Digging down into the jar to retrieve his treat, Darach remained unaware of the pair of eyes that were watching him.

Johanna and Dawn stood right outside the kitchen, peeking through the archway to see Darach holding the jar in one hand as he rummaged through its contents.

"I knew it was him." Dawn whispered to her mother as she glanced at the woman. Her mother winked at her, beginning a countdown for Dawn on one her hand. Dawn suppressed her urge to giggle before the countdown was completed and her mother opened her mouth.

"Darach!" She barked suddenly, startling the butler in the kitchen. This was immediately followed by the sound of glass shattering against the floor. "Darach, what was that?"

"No-nothing Madam!" Darach replied in a panicked voice as he rushed off to retrieve a broom and dustpan.

Dawn and Johanna fought hard to contain their laughter until they reached the foyer.

"I knew it - I knew it had to be Darach taking all the green ones." Dawn replied as she slipped into her sneakers and snatched her backpack from the coat rack. With this being the first day she had next to nothing to carry, which was just the way she liked it.

"Well, that's one mystery solved." Johanna noted as she opened up the front door. Together they stepped outside and followed the stone pathway to their driveway where a bright red convertible was waiting for them.

"Mom, can I drive?" Dawn asked earnestly, a look of hope in her eyes.

"Dawn, your father and I have told you this already 'after you graduate, we'll _consider_ it.'" Her mother responded, and Dawn deflated.

"But mom~, all of my friend have been driving since our junior year. I'm a senior now and I'm honestly like, the only person who's not driving yet." Dawn whined with a pout, but this didn't bother her mother in the slightest.

"We've already given you an answer Dawn, just bear with it. It's one more year." Johanna said as she opened the driver's door and took her seat behind the wheel.

" _A whole year_?" Dawn exclaimed, causing her mother to cringe.

"Dawn, stop being dramatic and get in the car." Johanna stated, tapping the empty passenger seat beside her.

"I'm not being dramatic. I'm being realistic. What _eighteen-year-old_ do you know that isn't driving?" Dawn asked her as she traveled around the car to the passenger side.

"I know you, don't I?" Her mother asked once Dawn was seated, shooting Dawn a smirk. Dawn huffed, her cheeks turning pink. "Besides, you're the only _eighteen-year-old_ that I need to know."

Dawn sighed exasperatedly as she buckled her seat belt. If there was any conceivable way to convince her parents to change this decision, Dawn hadn't thought of it yet. She did everything she possibly could to prove that she was ready, but nothing seemed to satisfy them.

"But why mom? It's not like I'm irresponsible or anything. I get good grades, I never break curfew." Dawn pointed out, trying to reason with her mother who shifted the car into the reverse, beginning to back down their driveway.

"Dawn, you know what I'm going to say." Johanna stated as they reached the gates which opened up as the car passed one of the sensors, letting them out into the wide street recognized as Diglett's Boulevard.

"But mom!"

Johanna turned on the radio and cranked up the volume, drowning out Dawn as she whined. Swinging out onto the street, Johanna waited for the gates to their home to close. She spent this time eyeing the golden plaque that was mounted on the stone columns of the gate. The sparkling plaque read 'Berlitz', the family that currently owned this large estate.

* * *

Glittering beaches, bustling businesses, famous landmarks, fabulous weather, a cultural hub. All of this was Vermilion City and the best part? It was like that all year, every year. While this might not have been the biggest reason people came to Vermilion City, there were also many renowned schools of the arts, and the public-school system played its part in preparing the youth to enter these institutes.

North Vermilion High did just so. It was quite a large school servicing the youth of the northern and eastern portions of the city, but its location left a lot to be desired. The large school found itself in a cluttered cul-de-sac where parking was tight and first come first served. Dropping off students was rough, and often took time if you came during the fifteen-minute rush right before classes started.

Having done this for three years already, Johanna and Dawn knew to come early, allowing them to find an open parking spot. At least Dawn could start off her 'last' first day of school without any hassle.

"Do you have lunch money?" Johanna asked, receiving a nod from Dawn. "And did you bring the supplies you need for today?"

"Mom, we've been over this already. I've got everything I need." Dawn replied as she opened the door to step out.

"I'm just making sure Dawn. I wouldn't want you to have to call me to bring you something like last year." Johanna shot back, flashing Dawn a grin.

"That was only because I tried to leave extra early with dad." Dawn explained.

"And you learned your lesson huh?"

"Yup. Don't ever leave with dad." Dawn said as she shut the door, leaving her chuckling mother in the car. Dawn looked across the street where she saw some of her fellow peers seated on the low wall that surrounded the campus.

Dawn spared her mother wave as she stepped off the sidewalk, making her way across the street. As she did so, Johanna lowered the window on the driver's side with a mischievous grin.

"Have a good day sweetie, and don't forget that I love you!" Johanna hollered, causing Dawn to flush red as she froze in the middle of the street.

"Mom!" Dawn shrieked, making a one-eighty in the middle of the road. She wanted a strong start to her senior year at North Vermilion High, and that didn't involve having some of the nearby students snickering at her mother's antics. In response to Dawn's exclamation, Johanna gave her daughter a broad smile.

A car horn blared and instinctively, Johanna glanced into the side mirror. Her eyes widen at the sight of a car racing toward Dawn.

Dawn's head snapped to the side to see a panicked driver screaming for her to move. Her feet remained frozen in place as if they were encased in cement. The students watching Dawn jumped to their feet, calling out to her as they spotted the approaching car.

Johanna opened her mouth to scream her daughter's name, but her voice got caught in her throat. She reached for the door handle, but Johanna felt her heart sink as she realized that there as no possible way to get to her daughter in time. Suddenly her car dipped forward in response to something weighty landing on the hood. Out of the corner of her eye, Johanna saw a young man lunge off of her car, throwing himself at Dawn who stood paralyzed in the middle of the road.

Dawn yelped as she was struck by a body, knocking her out of the path of the car which raced passed past them. She landed on her side, wincing as she felt her forearm slide against the grainy concrete surface, shredding her skin. Dawn was completely disoriented as she remained on the ground, her head spinning from the sudden panic and movement. Finally, she opened her eyes and the haze in her vision retreated. The first thing she saw was a guy lying on the ground beside her.

He rested on his back, but his head was turned to face her. Dawn didn't quite understand what happened, but their eyes met and they became fixated on one another. Dawn blinked hard as she stared at this boy. He began to speak to her, but Dawn could hardly make out what he was saying. Her ears were ringing, which left her to struggle in an attempt to read his lips.

Johanna stared at the scene, awestruck at the heroics of this young man. It was like a scene in a movie where the hero appears at the last possible moment! Inhaling deeply, Johanna realized that she was holding her breath. She embraced this feeling of relief, glad to know that her daughter walked away from this event unscathed. Johanna wasn't the only person who was relieved. The other students that saw this event unfold were beginning to cheer, rushing over to check on Dawn and her savior.

This was short-lived, however as everyone was brought back down to earth. A loud crunch sent a chill down everyone's spine as the same car that narrowly missed Dawn now crashed into the tree located at the center of the cul-de-sac ahead of them. The students became divided, some of them rushing to check on the driver of the car while others took out their phones to call emergency services.

Dawn found herself being showered with questions and concerns as the other students helped her to her feet. The bluenette was at loss for words. The panic and shock that she could've been killed finally set in, and she was unable to form a proper sentence.

Within minutes, a pair of officers, an ambulance, and the paramedics were on the scene. The student driving the car had been rushed to the hospital, while Dawn was examined by a pair of pink haired women.

"How are you feeling Dawn?" Nurse Joy, the school nurse asked her as the other woman wrapped her left forearm in gauze.

"I'm not really sure. I'm seeing two of you right now." Dawn remarked, getting a laugh out of the duo.

"This is one of my older sisters Dawn." Nurse Joy explained as she motioned to the paramedic. Dawn raised an eyebrow as she looked from one Joy to the next.

"I know you said that you look like your sisters, but this is ridiculous." Dawn noted as the two of them stepped back, motioning for Dawn to stand up.

"I want you to take a few steps forward Dawn." The paramedic Joy said. Dawn did as she was told, moving comfortably.

"Alright, everything checks out Dawn. You're just fine." They declared with bright smiles, then they motioned for Johanna to join them. Dawn couldn't even get a word out to her mother before she was crushed in a hug.

"I was so worried Dawn." Johanna said softly before releasing her hold on Dawn.

"They said I'm fine mom, some bumps, and bruises that's all." Dawn replied as she showed her mother the bandage on her arm as proof that team Joy had both treated and cleared her to continue her day.

"And just so you know Dawn, _that_ is why I won't let you drive," Johanna said as she pointed to the wreckage down the street. There was a tow truck already working on removing the totaled car from the scene. "His brakes failed, and he couldn't stop to save you, or himself."

Dawn silent observed the crash site, refusing to change her expression. She wouldn't give her mother the satisfaction of knowing that her desire to drive waned after this accident.

"Have you seen the guy who pushed me out of the way?" Dawn asked curiously.

This question caused Johanna to frown. Amidst all of the chaos after the crash, the boy who saved Dawn disappeared without a word, escaping a checkup from the paramedics as well. There wasn't a single sighting of the unsung hero.

"No, he's gone. But if you run into him today Dawn, make sure you thank him properly. Invite him to dinner, or anything he wants." Johanna said and Dawn nodded in agreement.

"Okay mom, classes are going to be starting soon so I'm going to get going." Dawn said as she took a step away from her mother, but Johanna grabbed Dawn's unharmed forearm.

"Are you absolutely sure that you're okay sweetie?" Johanna asked her tenderly, almost as if to invite Dawn to remain home for the day. Dawn merely smiled at her mother in response.

"Mom, I promise you, I'm totally fine. There-no-need-to-worry." Dawn proclaimed, stressing each word. This was a phrase she learned from her father during childhood, and it became a catchphrase of sorts for her. Johanna exhaled deeply, giving her daughter one last chance to opt out of her school day, but Dawn remained firm. Returning her daughter's smile, Johanna accepted Dawn's self-assurance and released her grip.

"I was just making sure, have a good day."

* * *

Moving through the halls to the main stairway of the school, Dawn discovered that the news about the accident had already spread around the school. Several students who she knew well came to check on her as she made the trip to her first period class. From the seniors that she knew for years, to some of the new freshmen she didn't recognize.

"Dawn!" A voice cried out, causing Dawn to turn away from the group she been speaking with. Searching for this familiar voice, Dawn spotted a brunette with her signature red bandana rushing toward her.

"May!" Dawn exclaimed at the sight of a close friend who latched herself onto Dawn in a bone-crushing hug.

"Someone told me that an ambulance came for you and I _freaked_ out!" May explained, shaking Dawn a bit in this one-sided embrace.

"Sheesh May, I'm good, I'm good." Dawn insisted to get May to release her. "But who told you that?"

"Like two minutes ago I was in the cafeteria and this guy came through saying there was a car accident outside. He said a blue haired girl got hit, and I only know one girl with blue hair." May said as she leaned toward Dawn. "Fill me in already, what happened?"

"Well..." Dawn tried to recount the tale for May, but as she recalled the instant where the car hurtling toward her, Dawn inhaled sharply. The mere thought terrified her, and as she looked down at her hands she noticed that they were trembling. Witnessing her friend's hesitation, May knew it was best to drop the subject.

"Too soon?" May asked her, getting a nod from Dawn. "No worries. Did you bring your schedule?"

"Y-Yeah." Dawn said slowly, shaking her head a bit to dispel any thoughts surrounding the events earlier. Focused on May's question, Dawn removed her backpack to retrieve a folder she kept within it. Tucked into this folder was a sheet of paper which she passed to May, allowing the brunette to scan it briefly.

The two of them were practically inseparable since meeting in grade school. Every year they shared a number of classes together, and judging by the way May squealed, Dawn could assume that this pattern would continue in their final year.

"We have first, third and fourth period together!" She exclaimed. "Plus, gym and a free period...and lunch! This year is going to be awe-some!"

"And the best part is that we can start every day with Ms. Fantina." Dawn added, and May made a face in response.

"I haven't been in her class since I was a sophomore. Has she gotten any better at speaking English?" May asked, recalling her second year of high school. It took a miracle, and then some help from Dawn to pass Fantina's art class since May couldn't understand the woman back then.

"She's gotten so much better since then. You have no idea." Dawn replied. "She speaks more English than French now. Not to mention she said she would spend the summer practicing, so who knows how good she is."

"Well as long as she tells me my homework in English, it doesn't matter to me." May stated, earning a chuckle from Dawn. With their destination in mind, Dawn and May began their trip down to the basement level of the school where the art classes were located.

"How was your summer, tell me about Hoenn?" Dawn inquired, much to May's delight.

"It was, ama-zing!" She declared with rosy cheeks, eager to give Dawn all of the details. "I spent two months in Lilycove City, and those were the best two months of my life! The restaurants were great, the beaches were beautiful and to top it all off, Drew was there on vacation too!"

"No way! How did that happen?"

"Apparently Drew's mom works for the same firm that my dad works in or something like that," May explained, but she waved it off. This detail didn't matter much to her. "Anyway, I got to go out to dinner with Drew, twice! It was more a family thing though because our parents had to talk business, but after the second dinner the two of us went out for a walk on the beach together. It was the best! And then Drew said he wanted to hang out with me some more back in Vermilion City."

Dawn clapped happily for May's accomplishment, causing the brunette to blush.

Drew was the school's green haired heartthrob with his fair share of admirers. May fell into that category, although she wasn't satisfied with this.

"And what about your summer Dawn? Did you finally convince your parents to let you start driving?" May asked, shifting the focus to Dawn. This caused the bluenette to sigh.

"They still said no. Even this morning my mom gave me a big fat N-O." Dawn replied in a sullen matter. "Although I can live with it after this morning."

"Yeah, I can understand that. Don't forget, I can give you a ride if you ever need one...well, once my parents give me my car back."

Dawn couldn't help but chuckle at May's offer, causing May to frown at her.

"What's so funny?" May questioned.

"Let's be real here May, you're not going to get your car back any time soon."

"Why not?" May asked, feigning a hurt expression.

"You and I both know why. So, stop giving me that lame story." Dawn said as she raised a brow at May.

"For the last time Dawn, I had _nothing_ to do with those parking tickets!" May practically shouted before placing her hands over her mouth, realizing that she blasted this information right in front of her peers. Many of their conversations came to an abrupt stop as some of them shot a questioning glance at May. The brunette could only try to laugh it off, waving to a couple of the other students before she motioned for Dawn to follow her as she sped up their walking pace.

"Smooth May. It's a good thing Drew wasn't here to hear that one." Dawn pointed out to her.

"I would've _died_ of embarrassment." May admitted, trying to imagine how she would explain this to Drew.

The two of them arrived at the entrance to their first period class. Dawn looked at the familiar entryway to her favorite classroom in the whole building. She couldn't count how many hours she spent working in there during and after school. Stepping in, Dawn immediately spotted the woman clothed in an extravagant spaghetti strap sundress with her purple hair tied up into four large buns.

Fantina was busy speaking to a group of three students, and Dawn couldn't help but admire how elegant she was. There was never a moment where she wasn't poised and under control. Her actions, speech, and gestures were all so smooth, even when no one could understand her heavy French accent.

"Ms. Fantina!" Dawn called out as she waved to her favorite teacher. Fantina looked up, and upon catching sight of Dawn, smiled brightly.

"Dawn, _mon amie_!" Fantina exclaimed before apologizing to the students she was talking with, promising them that she would return. Fantina then came over to Dawn and May at the entrance to her room, greeting them warmly. "It's so good to see you again. I hope you spent your summer working as hard as you did in my class."

"Of course, I did. I can't wait to show you some of the designs and sketches I've been working on." Dawn said, getting an excited nod from Fantina. "And I see you've been practicing your English."

"Certainly. I hate having a language barrier between myself and _mes étudiants_." Fantina stated before covering her mouth with a small gasp. "Pardon, a bit of French still escapes every now and then."

"Well, it beats the first year you were here. I had no clue what you were saying most of the time." May pointed out, earning a chuckle from Fantina.

"I won't deny it was rough back then May, but hopefully your experience in my classroom will be much...um, smoother this year," Fantina said, recalling that May struggled in her class three years ago. "But I'm very happy that you're willing to give me a second chance."

May flashed her a smile before the bell chimed, signaling that there were four minutes left before class would begin.

"Ah, we'll speak again later. Find a seat you two." Fantina said as she motioned for them to begin moving. Dawn and May gave a soft laugh as they watched Fantina positioned herself by the entrance of the room where she began to excitedly greet her students to their first period painting and drawing class.

Dawn had already taken this course in her junior year, so this year she was retaking it purely for the free time to practice. May, on the other hand, was searching for a class to take it easy in, and there was no better place than an art class, not to mention Dawn was there as well. Soon enough, the class began with Dawn and May seated toward the front of the room. Fantina started out by introducing herself as she handed out some blank papers and pencils, encouraging her students to sketch as went over the expectations of this course.

"Hey Dawn, check this out." May said as she slid her paper over to Dawn, having finished her sketch about ten minutes into the class period.

"What the heck is it?" Dawn asked after examining the picture for a few moments. She even went as far as turning the paper upside down in an effort to figure out what May had drawn.

"It's the new purse I bought over the summer," May stated as she turned her sketch upright for Dawn who still couldn't see it. "Can't you tell?"

"…No." Dawn said quite bluntly.

"Well, I'm just, out of practice." May retorted through pursed lips.

"Yeah, whatever you want to call it May." Dawn said with a giggle. May was never much of an artist, and it was clear to Dawn that she wasn't going to be one either. But she did appreciate May's effort.

The door to the room opened up, gaining the attention of the entire class. Sabrina, one of the school's guidance counselors, entered the room followed by a dark haired young man. Hearing a gasp from Dawn, May glanced at her friend who became frozen in her seat.

"What's the matter, Dawn?" May whispered to her.

"That's…That's the guy that saved me this morning." Dawn responded.

"Saved you?" May repeated. Taking a deep breath, Dawn filled in the pieces for May, informing her of what took place outside of the school earlier this morning. As she stared her story, Sabrina and Dawn's savior approached Fantina, speaking with her quietly. "Whoa, so that's what happened this morning?"

Dawn gave her a nod before Fantina called for everyone's attention.

" _Présentez-vous."_ Fantina said brightly to the young man, but he furrowed his brow in response.

"What?" He said, confusion evident on his face.

"It's French. She wants you to introduce yourself." Dawn jumped in with no hesitation before even Fantina could correct herself. Fantina always had the students introduce themselves to the class at the start of each year, and there would be no exceptions this year.

"Oh." He said after glancing at Dawn. He then looked out at the rest of the students that filled the room, all of which were observing him with mild interest. "Uh, let's see. My name is Ash Ketchum, I'm almost eighteen years old and I just transferred to this school. I hope we all get along well."

Short, sweet and to the point. Ash turned to Sabrina to thank her for helping him find his class. Then he made his way to the back of the room, taking a seat where he some separation from the other students.

"So that's him?" May asked once again as she looked back at Ash. He was pretty good looking actually. "So, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he saved your life. Aren't you at least going to thank him?"

"Obviously I'm going to do that. My mom told me that I should invite him over for dinner, but do you think that's enough?" Dawn asked her.

"I don't know, no one has ever saved my life before," May said, causing Dawn to roll her eyes. "But I think you should start by talking to him. Oh oh, and since he's new, you can help him find his next class."

"That's a good idea May."

"Yeah I know, I'm full of them." May said proudly. Dawn gave her friend a narrow glance before shaking her head.

Once the bell chimed again at the end of class, Dawn rose from her seat to approach Ash. She walked over to him tentatively since he was hunched over his desk, scribbling away on the sketch paper Fantina gave him. Standing over him, Dawn was completely silent as she looked down at what he had drawn, and her jaw almost dropped to the floor at what he managed to draw in almost half a class period.

Everything in his line of sight was down on the paper. It was incredibly rough, but Dawn could clearly make out each of the students that were seated in front of him. She saw Fantina standing at the front of the class reading her syllabus to them. She even found May and herself near the front of the room, and above her head, he had written 'translator.' Dawn stifled a laugh at this, but it was still enough to gain Ash's attention as he looked up from his drawing.

Their eyes met once again, and silence ensued.

"Can I help you?" Ash asked after a few moments, breaking the silence between them. This snapped Dawn out of her thoughts as she gave a small laugh.

"Sorry, uh hi Ash, I just um…my name is Dawn." Dawn stated, finally regaining her composure. "And I wanted to thank you for this morning."

Ash only shrugged, returning his gaze to his sketch.

"It's no big deal." He said softly.

"Are you…joking right now?" Dawn asked him. "You saved my life. That's a pretty big deal to me."

"Anyone in the _same_ position as me would've done the _same_ thing." Ash stated.

"Still, we can't ignore the fact that _you_ saved me." Dawn continued. "I owe you big time, so at least let me invite you to dinner with my family."

"Not interested." Ash replied, and this gained a huff from Dawn now.

It almost seemed like he didn't like the attention. Glancing around for a moment, Dawn realized that he had disappeared right after rescuing her this morning, and here in class he had gone out of his way to separate himself from the rest of the students.

"You don't like to stand out much, do you?" Dawn asked him. This gained a snort from him as he put his pencil down and looked up at her again.

"I'm in a new place with new people. I don't see much of reason to stand out right now." He stated.

"You're clearly off to a good start after saving me. Half the school is talking about you." Dawn pointed out with a small smirk. He shrugged his shoulders in response.

"By lunchtime, no one is going to remember." He replied, waving off any further comments Dawn could make. She gave him a small frown.

"So, you don't want to stand out." She concluded. "Is that why you left so fast this morning."

He gave a nod.

"Then that means no one checked to see if you were okay." Dawn went on.

"Why would they need to check on me? I wasn't in any danger, and I didn't get hurt. As you can see, I'm completely fine." Ash said. Then he pointed at her. "A better question is, are you okay?"

"Well, 'as you can see, I'm completely fine.'" Dawn said, parroting his response to her as she spun around, showing that she was okay. Seeing him look at her with raised eyebrows, Dawn shot him a small smile and pointed at him. "Thanks to _you._ "

"And here we go again." He muttered, lowering his shoulders a bit.

"Okay, okay. How about this, let me see your schedule and I'll help you find your classes today since you're new." Dawn suggested.

"And you'll forget about everything that happened earlier?" Ash asked her in return.

"That's not going to happen, but I guess I won't bring it up anymore if that's what you want."

"Alright, that sounds fair." Ash said as he dug into his backpack in search of his schedule. Receiving the sheet of paper from Ash, Dawn looked it over and discovered that they had a few classes together.

"You're free during second period. Do you know what to do during a free period?" Dawn asked him, causing Ash to look up in thought.

"I mean, I can do anything right?" He asked her, getting a nod from her. He looked around the room for a few moments, nodding slowly after a few moments. "Maybe I'll stay here. I kinda like it."

"That's perfect then. I have fashion and design here during second period, so I'll meet you after class." Dawn said, earning a nod from Ash. She then extended a hand toward him. "It was nice meeting you, Ash."

Ash looked at her hand for a moment, and the raised a closed fist in response, motioning for her to bump fists with him. Dawn laughed a little as she complied.

"Same to you, Dawn."

* * *

 **A/N**

And that concludes the first chapter, hope you enjoyed it!

Please give me some feedback! This isn't my first project, and I'm looking to improve over the course of this work.

First thing, this is an AU. I'm repeating it just to make sure everyone knows. And even though they're in high school, this is NOT a high school fic either. I've put a big spin on the Pokemon world, so there are lots of differences compared to what you're accustomed to. I've revamped the history and made a few of my events as well, all of which you'll see at some point down the road.

I can say this much. Ash is in for a VERY long journey, and I really hope you stick around to see this through.

I loved Pokemon in my childhood, never missed a game until Gen 5. Black and White 2 is where my career as a trainer ended though. I won't say I outgrew the franchise, but I tried to drop Pokemon cold turkey for various reasons. I found some success for a little while until I heard about Pokemon XY & Z, the anime. So many people were telling me how great it was, so I took a peek, got hooked, and now I'm right back to being a little Pokemon nerd. Unfortunately, I don't see myself picking up any of the games, so I know very little about Gen 6 beyond the anime, and I know nothing about Gen 7. So please forgive me for my lack of knowledge. Like for example, I recently found out that Fairy type is a thing now?! So yeah, please go easy on me.

This story was inspired by so many different sources, from books, movies, poems, and performances. I fully intend to respect my sources as I go, and I really hope you guys enjoy this fic as it progresses.

Anyway, thanks for reading and any support. And I hope I'll see you again at the end of the second chapter.

 **UPDATE 5/29/18**

Wow, times flies! I can say without a doubt now that this story is going to be absolutely MASSIVE! I know the high school setting turned away a few people, but I will state again that this is NOT a high school fic. Is it a journey fic? Well, I'm not really sure if I can call it that because it doesn't fit the usual premise you see in a journey fic. As I've said before, I don't want to say what I've changed, you've got to read it to find out.

What I can say about my premise is that I want this story to feel real. Being a Pokemon trainer is more than just running around collecting Gym Badges, its a test of conviction, courage, and willpower. Things won't always go smoothly, and I'm hoping to show that here. The Pokemon world that we love, but with a hard splash of real life.

Anyway, that's enough yammering out of me. I'm really excited about the upcoming chapters and I really hope that you give this story a fair chance. If you last through the long haul I'm feeling pretty confident saying you'll be impressed...and if you're not, oh well, I'm glad you read this anyway! :P


	2. One Long Day

**Chapter 2**

* * *

 _The emptiness of his routine was starting to eat away at him. It had little meaning in the long run._

 _Finish the tasks that he received...don't cause trouble. That was the golden rule._

 _He had heard that was the best way to get on the good side of the staff._

 _The question remained - why was he here again?_

* * *

Dawn barely heard a word Fantina had said to her second period class, but she was certain that the woman had repeated most of what she had said to her first class of the day. Not only that, but Dawn had been a student of Fantina for the past three years, and she was well aware of what Fantina expected of her students. Dawn had never failed to surpass Fantina's expectations, and she planned to continue this habit until she graduated.

 _"Au revoir mes etudiants!"_ Fantina said cheerily after the bell had chimed. Dawn snapped out of her thoughts as she realized everyone was leaving. Shutting her sketchpad that had been resting in front of her, Dawn grabbed it off her desk and snatched her backpack from the floor. She then looked back in search of Ash, and he was right where she had left him at the end of first period.

"Are you ready Ash?" Dawn asked as she approached him.

"Mhmm." Ash hummed softly in acknowledgment, throwing his backpack over his shoulder. Giving him a small, polite smile, she then motioned for him to follow as she led him out of the room.

Guiding him through the halls, Dawn began to explain each section of the building to him as they passed through. The basement level was primarily used for the performing and fine arts classes. The ground floor was where the academic courses were held, along with various facilities such as the computer lab, library, and gymnasium.

"And then the second floor is where you'll find the language courses, but I don't think you'll ever need to go up there actually." Dawn noted as she looked down at his schedule. Ash only had four classes, all of which were either in the basement, or the ground floor.

Ash, however, didn't quite hear what Dawn had said. He was a little more focused on the people that had filled the halls they were traveling through. Ash could tell that everyone was watching them, but he wasn't certain why. At least until a pair of girls had stopped Dawn while they were in the stairwell, demanding to know if she was alright. It was then Ash realized why they, or rather just Dawn, was receiving so much attention. The event that had unfolded in front of the school just before classes had clearly spread throughout the entire student body.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Dawn insisted, telling them that they needed to get to class. Being late on the first day wouldn't set a strong impression. Dawn hadn't been late to any of her classes, even after nearly being hit by a car.

Taking Ash into the corridor where his third period class was located, Dawn called for his attention once again.

"Mr. Morty is really nice Ash, or at least that's what I've heard. I've never had him as a teacher." Dawn stated as they arrived at the entrance to his third period literature class.

"Oh, okay." He said, giving her a short nod.

He still wasn't certain what to make of the blue haired girl that was currently functioning as his guide. He was grateful for her kindness otherwise, he would've been completely lost in this building. Ash understood that he had saved her from serious injury, possibly saved her life. He had insisted that it was nothing to make a fuss over, but Dawn felt indebted to him and he couldn't see understand her persistence in the matter.

Visibly shrugging his shoulders, Dawn tilted her head as she looked at him.

"What, you don't like reading books?" Dawn asked him with a bit of snicker.

"Huh?" Ash asked before glancing at his classroom. It took him a moment to realize she had though his shrug was directed at the class he was about to take. "Oh no, that's no big deal."

"What's the matter then?"

Ash, however, waved her question and gave her a small smile as reassurance that he was fine.

"Okay then," Dawn said. "My class is right down the hall, so I'll meet you here after, okay?"

"Alright."

Dawn watched Ash's back as he went into the classroom, only having a moment of silence before she found an arm wrapped around her neck. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar head of orange hair.

"Zoey!" Dawn exclaimed as he friend stepped aside, greeting Dawn with a bright smile as she raised her sunglasses and tucked them into her hair.

"So who was that guy jus-what the heck happened to you?!" Zoey almost shouted as she spotted the bandages around Dawn's arm.

"You don't know?" Dawn asked, causing Zoey to shake her head. "It happened this morning, before first period."

"Oh, I just got here. I don't have any classes until third period so I came in late." Zoey explained. "So out with it, fill me in."

Dawn then revealed how her morning had gone, much to Zoey's astonishment. Dawn's heart still wrenched at the thought of that car barreling toward her, but she managed to swallow down her apprehension and tell Zoey everything in its entirety.

"Whoa," Zoey said, exhaling loudly. "That's intense. I'm so glad you're alright though. Don't forget now, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for ya."

"Thanks, Zoey I appreciate it."

The bell rung once again.

"Oh, time for class. We'll talk later." Zoey said with a wave as she darted off to get to her own class.

"Yeah, see ya!" Dawn replied before turning to rush for her own class. Skating into the room just before Sheena, her English teacher, could shut the door, Dawn let out a sigh of relief.

"Just in time." Sheena noted with a snort, impressed with Dawn effort to get to class on time.

"Sorry Ms. Sheena, that won't happen again," Dawn promised her before looking toward the students that were seated at their desks. But Dawn's gaze was immediately drawn to the sight of May who was seated sideways on her desk, propping up her feet on the seat of the desk beside her. Approaching May, Dawn suppressed the urge to run her hand down the side of her face and opted to ask a simple question. "What are you doing May?"

"I had to reserve this desk. Those guys were trying way too hard to sit next to me." May commented as she turned to face the guys that had been trying to convince her to give up the seat she had been holding for Dawn. May stuck out her tongue at the group of three guys, causing them to respond with a few playful sneers of their own. Sheena then cleared her throat loudly and called for the attention of her students.

"Good morning class." She began, now standing behind the podium at the front of the class. This caused everyone to settle into their seats, waiting for her speech to begin. "To start, I want to congratulate all of you on making it to your senior year. This is going to be an exciting year for both you and I as we examine all of the future avenues that could be open for you."

With a subtle sigh, Dawn opened up the notebook she had brought for this class and began a small sketch in the top right corner of the page. No matter what class she sat in today, she knew that the subject would be the same. Every teacher was going to tell them about their expectations for the year, and remind that this was their final year of high school. This was time to give careful thought to their future if they hadn't already. It was just another reminder that they were almost adults now.

A good ten minutes into Sheena's speech, she was interrupted by a knock on the door. Opening it up, she found a rather tall young man that was weight down by the instrument cases he held. A violin case in one hand, and a guitar case in the other.

"Ah, Nando, you're late." Sheena stated as she stepped aside, allowing Nando to enter the room.

"Sorry Ms. Sheena, I was trying to drop these off at the music room before third period, but apparently Mr. Juan is running late so his room was still locked." Nando explained as he scanned the room for an open desk. Dawn immediately gave her friend a wave as they briefly made eye contact, but Nando had to return his gaze to Sheena as she began to speak again.

"I understand, but in the future, be punctual because I might not be so forgiving." She warned him.

"Yes, I understand," Nando said as he turned to face her now, bowing to her a bit. "I can't tell you how grateful I am for your mercy. I will do my utmost to make sure that I follow the rules you have set from this day forward."

Sheena snorted at Nando's flattery, while Dawn just rolled her eyes. Anyone who knew Nando even remotely well knew that he Nando was a charmer. A sweet talker. And he was already up to his usual antics on the first day of the school year.

"Well then, let's continue from where we left off." Sheena said as she returned to her podium, beginning to check her notes before she continued. In the meantime, Nando then went to the closest empty desk at the front of the room where he set down his instrument cases delicately and sat down with a sigh of relief.

Dawn was now trying to contain her excitement as she quietly observed her close friend that sat at the front of the room. Nando had gone away for the summer just like May, and they hadn't spoken at all. Now was the first she had seen him since the middle of June. Despite his height, Nando wasn't a physically intimidating guy. He was very lean, and his expressions were always soft. It had been so long since they had a conversation that Dawn couldn't wait to speak with him.

Once the bell rang, Sheena's class didn't spare a moment as they all flooded out of the room with the exception of Dawn, Nando, and May.

"Nando!" Dawn and May exclaimed together as they approached their friend, now possessing the freedom to speak openly.

"Hello girls, it's been a long time hasn't it?" Nando asked them as they left Sheena's room. Dawn and May looked at one another for a moment before giggling a bit.

"What's with that accent Nando?" May pointed out to him.

"Accent?" Nando repeated back to her. Nando then narrowed his gaze as he looked at them. Sure, he had gone to Sinnoh for two months, but that wasn't enough time for him to suddenly develop the accent that the people spoke with in that region. "Haha, very funny."

The two of them only smiled at him as a response to his attempt to mock them.

"So what's the deal Nando, you can't answer a phone while you're on vacation?" May asked him. She had tried to contact Nando during their summer vacation, but he never answered his phone.

"Unlike you May, I wasn't on vacation," Nando replied, recalling that he how he had explained this to them before he had left. "I went to Sinnoh to study under my uncle. I wasn't frolicking on the beach every day like you."

As he said this, he shook his head, allowing his long locks to whip as if he was on one of those movies with a slow-motion beach scene. May pouted, however since she had spent the majority of her time on the beaches in Lilycove City.

"By the way Dawn, what happened to you?" Nando asked as his attention became focused on her bandaged arm.

"Oh, well you see…" Dawn began slowly.

"She almost got hit by a car this morning," May interjected, causing Nando's eyes to widen. "But then this guy wearing a cape just came in and-"

"He wasn't wearing a cape May!" Dawn cut in.

"Yeah, whatever," May said before blowing a raspberry at Dawn. "Anyway, he just jumps in the way and BAM, stops the car dead in its tracks with one hand, saving Dawn in epic fashion!"

Nando's expression of shock had now become nothing more than a deadpan as he stared at May. From the moment she mentioned a cape this story lost all of its credibility. And Dawn's denial of the cape was only further proof, that and someone stopping a car with one hand.

"That's not how it went at all Nando, so just forget everything May just said." Dawn said before she went into a proper explanation of the events. It was easier for her to share now since it was the third time she had told this story now.

"My version was better." May murmured with a huff, earning a sideways glance from Dawn. Nando though, was quiet as he studied Dawn's injury. He couldn't see beneath the bandages, but he knew for certain that her flawless skin had been ruined, although it could've been much worse if not for her savior.

"So who was the person who saved you? Is he a student, or a teacher or what?" Nando inquired, causing the thought of Ash to run through Dawn's mind.

"Oh shoot, I was supposed to meet him right now!" Dawn exclaimed as she dashed out into the hall, leaving May and Nando in Sheena's room. Nando looked toward May, furrowing his brow in search of answers.

"He's a student, and he just transferred to this school, so she's helping him find his classes." May explained as they pursued Dawn into the corridor. Further down the hall, they could see her standing outside of Morty's classroom with Ash.

Nando eyed the two of them intently as he and May approached, focusing on Dawn as she conversed with Ash. She was earnestly listening to him as he spoke, showing genuine interest in him. A level of interest that she didn't show in too many guys…could Dawn be, interested in Ash?

He did save her life, after all, so the interest was a given.

Nando shook his head, telling himself to focus. Ash had saved Dawn's life, and here he was thinking about something that was completely unnecessary.

"Ash, this is May. She was with me in Ms. Fantina's class earlier." Dawn said as she introduced him to her two friends. May gave him a wave as he looked toward her, and then he looked at Nando. "And this guy is Nando. I thought it might be helpful to know a few people since you're new here."

"Says the girl who forgot about you~" May said under her breath, getting a snort from Nando.

"May!" Dawn exclaimed, and but Ash still wore a straight face.

"I appreciate all of the help Dawn, but you don't have to go this far." Ash said to her.

"Oh come on Ash, you don't have to be like that. All of us have fourth period together, so I thought you might want to know some people that'll be there with you." Dawn explained to him. Ash didn't bother to object, not that they could tell if he wanted to.

Dawn then took the lead, taking Ash to their fourth period class. As they went through the halls, Nando slowed down his pace a bit, following behind Ash and Dawn. Noticing that Nando was slowing down, May did as well to speak with him.

"What's the matter?" May asked him. Nando pursed his lips for a moment as he stared at the duo ahead of them.

"What do you think of him?" Nando asked. There were several steps behind them now, and the chatter from the other students would conceal the subject of their conversation from Ash.

May raised her shoulders a bit.

"I don't know I just met him with you." She replied flatly.

Nando frowned a bit, but this quickly disappeared as he glanced back at Dawn smiling as she spoke to Ash. Nando was pretty good at reading people and their body language, but it felt as though he was guessing with Ash. The dark haired boy was just so impassive, yet Dawn was talking to him freely.

"Perhaps Dawn sees something that we don't." Nando suggested, gaining another shrug from May.

"What else is new? She is always seeing stuff, so I wouldn't know." May said as she picked her pace now to rejoin them.

* * *

For his fourth history period class, Ash found himself being instructed by an elderly woman by the name of Agatha. She too did the same as the other teachers, giving the students a syllabus and spending the class period just talking at them. It was a bore, but Dawn, May, and Nando spent the time passing notes. Ash had received a piece of paper from Dawn with nothing but a circle on it. She asked him to draw a face.

Taking about two minutes to complete his little drawing, he then folded the paper and returned it to Dawn. When she opened it, she clearly struggled to stifle a laugh for a few moments, doing her best to make sure she didn't disturb Agatha. May and Nando became curious about what Ash had given her, but Dawn waved off their questions, preferring to keep it a secret.

Once fourth period had ended, the group of four made their way to the gymnasium for gym class. Fortunately, since it was the first day, they weren't expected to take part in any activities, much to Nando's relief. He detested gym class, but he needed the credit to graduate.

Dawn, May, and Nando sat up in the bleachers against the wall of the room, watching as a group of the guys played basketball on half the court. Surprisingly enough, Ash had jumped in the game while they were picking teams. Nando couldn't help but notice that Dawn was actively watching the game now, something that she wouldn't normally do. He could n't track exactly what she was looking at, but he could guess that her gaze was following Ash as he moved around the court.

His teammates didn't pass him the ball often, probably since he was the new kid and they were uncertain of what he could do. Clapping his hands, Ash called for the basketball as he ran out into open space. The guy with the ball spotted him and threw it his way, much to Ash's delight as he got his hands on the ball. Setting his feet, Ash turned to face the hoop and jumped in the air where he released the ball.

Dawn's head followed the arch as the ball went up and back down, hitting the side of the rim before it was claimed by the other team. Ash frowned at this as he quickly switched to defense, searching for the player he was supposed to guard.

"Aww, he missed." May noted as the guys ran down the court.

"So why are they changing sides all the time? Couldn't they just play at one hoop?" Nando asked curiously.

"I mean you can, but they're playing full court like the pros." May explained for him, causing Nando to make a face.

"That's too much running." Nando muttered, getting a snort from Dawn.

As they continued watching Ash, Nando couldn't help but conclude that Ash was just wasting all of his energy. Running up and down the court seemed pointless since he barely got to touch the ball for most of the game. Even Dawn said that it seemed like Ash spent more time running, or watching the guy with the ball than anything else.

When gym class ended, Ash returned to the trio in the bleachers where he had left his bag. They could hear him mumble something about a 'ball hog', and they quickly made the connection about what he was talking about. But none of them bother to pry at his comment as they began to head out of the gym to their next destination.

"Well, at least we have lunch now." Dawn pointed out as they left the gym, Ash trailing behind them.

"Ah, I have a special treat for you two then." Nando proclaimed, surprising the girls as they looked at each other. A gift from Nando was nothing to take lightly.

"To the cafeteria then!" May declared as she took the lead. But Dawn noticed that they had left Ash behind.

"Hey Ash, are you coming?" Dawn asked him.

"Uh, I think I'm going to skip lunch. Big breakfast." He said, patting his stomach almost sheepishly.

"Don't you want to sit with us then?" Dawn pressed, but he shook his head.

"Nah um, Nando-" He began, glad that he could remember Nando's name. "He said he's got a present for the two of you. I don't want to intrude."

"That was my mistake Ash. You're free to join us." Nando said, but Ash shook his head a second time.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." He stated.

Dawn looked a bit dejected that he was leaving them, but she wouldn't harass him about it.

"Do you know the way to your next class?" Dawn asked, and Ash gave her a nod.

"Ye-up. I'm good." He assured them. "I'll see you guys later, or tomorrow."

He gave them a wave before he turned, heading in the opposite direction where he vanished in the traffic in the hallways.

"Come on Dawn, let's get moving before the lines get too long." May said. The gym was close to the cafeteria, so they had the perfect opportunity to arrive before the lines could pile up with hungry students.

"I'm right behind you." Dawn said as she spared one last glance in the direction Ash had gone. Then she turned to follow her two friends.

Arriving at one of the largest rooms in the school, the bulk of the seats were inside of the cafeteria, but there was also a small seating area outside with a few tables for the students to eat at as well. Nando went straight outside to claim a table out there, leaving Dawn and May to speed through the process of buying lunch since the line was very short still. Heading outside in search of Nando, they soon spotted him seated at one of the roundtables, concealed beneath the shade of the umbrella that was mounted at the center of the table.

He was opening his violin case, obtaining the instrument within it and placing it on his lap.

"That was quick." Nando said as they took a seat, setting down their meals and focusing intently on him.

"So what do you have for us Nando?" May asked him.

"I hope it's what I think it is." Dawn added with a small smile. Nando was already holding his violin, so there was no doubt in her mind that Nando was going to play a song for them.

It was no secret in North Vermilion High that Nando was a gifted musician. In fact, gifted was probably an understatement. He was a genius. No one in their right mind doubted that. He could pick up just about any instrument and play it as if he had years of practice. With his immense talent, the entire field of music and performing was open for him, but he seemed to gravitate toward the classical music more than anything else.

"You must have been working on this while you were in Sinnoh, right?" May asked him as he finished tuning his violin.

"Certainly." He replied, setting the instrument on his shoulder, and then placing his chin on the chin rest. Raising his bow, he placed it softly on the strings and took a breath. Then he played a quick scale, just to warm up. Once he was settled, he started by holding one note for a few seconds, fully extending his arm with each stroke. Then he came to a stop, allowing for a moment of silence.

As he began to play now, his notes soft and low, the girls were snatched from their seats and taken to the forests surrounding Eterna City. They could see Nando standing in the woods, tirelessly playing his violin by himself. The slow, sorrowful notes allowed them to feel Nando's loneliness as he worked.

But then the pace picked up, and his notes grew higher. Despite the loneliness they had felt at first, the song was becoming warmer. In the dark woods where Nando stood, they could see the sun beginning to pierce through the thick foliage above him, casting down several rays of sunlight on him. A sudden gust of wind passed through the air, filling it with leaves and flower petals that they marveled at.

Regardless of the fact that he was alone in the forest, Nando was never truly alone. Not as long as he had his music with him. His love for it was clear, and it alone could satisfy his lonesome soul. Nando began to slow down as he arrived at the song's conclusion, and the girls were in awe as they were returned to their seats outside of the cafeteria. The two of them inhaled sharply as Nando placed his violin on his lap in the rest position, looking at them expectantly. They had been so wrapped up in the song that they had forgotten to breathe!

"Dang man, you just keep getting better every time I hear you!"

The three of them turned around to find that a number of students had been drawn outside as Nando had played, creating a small audience for him. And now they were all cheering for him. Nando waved to them warmly, but empty stomachs prevailed and the students returned to the cafeteria to get lunch, leaving the three of them alone to continue chatting.

"So what did you guys think of that?" Nando asked them earnestly.

"I think, that was amazing!" May declared, clapping her hands together.

"It was breathtaking Nando." Dawn added. "I still don't understand how you do it."

Nando felt a smile creep up on his face at Dawn's compliment as he returned his violin to its case.

"Like I was saying earlier, I spent the summer traveling around Sinnoh with my uncle. It gave me a lot of time to play in all sorts of different environments." Nando explained as he recalled some of his time in Sinnoh. He had played the guitar on the streets of Jubilife City, played the cello in a small café just outside of Solaceon Town and performed in a concert hall in Veilstone City. He had learned a lot on this little journey, and it was clearly showing its results already. "And what did you do with your summer Dawn?"

* * *

Eighth period had started, and Ash was still seated on a low wall that traced the perimeter of the school property. His sketchpad and pencil were out as he stared closely at the Pidgey that was perched on the wall not too far from him. He only had only intended to step out of the building for a few minutes to get some fresh air, but when the Pidgey landed on the wall, he couldn't pass at the opportunity to try and sketch it. And he never expected the avian Pokemon to remain on the wall for him to actually complete the sketch.

With a small grin, Ash placed the finishing touches on his work, pleased with the small Pokemon for cooperating with him. Outside of domesticated Pokemon, it was very rare he had the opportunity to draw a live Pokemon. Most of his sketches were from sketches he had seen in photographs on the internet. But that couldn't compare to drawing the real thing, watching them as they checked their surroundings, and make eye contact with him occasionally.

"Nice." Ash said rather loudly, this having been the first he had spoken since Pidgey's arrival. Startling the Pokemon, it took flight, leaving Ash alone on the wall. But he didn't mind as he waved to the Pokemon, he had captured it on paper, and it only took him…"An hour and a half!"

He had missed sixth and seventh period sketching outside of the school. How did he manage to do that?!

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." Ash muttered as he palmed his forehead, amazed that he had missed two whole class periods. Fortunately, six period of lunch, so missing that was no big deal. But seventh period was his…math course. Well, if it was anything like his first four classes, he hadn't missed much. And he would apologize profusely to that teacher when he met them properly on Monday.

Grabbing his backpack, Ash hurried back into the school while rummaging through his supplies in search of his schedule to see what classroom he would be searching for next. But upon examining his schedule, Ash was a bit shocked to see that he didn't have any more classes after seventh period. He was done for the day!

"Awe-some." Ash noted as he stood in the main lobby. The woman seated behind the large desk was observing him expectantly. Clearly, she wanted to know where he belonged, so Ash spared her a moment to explain that he didn't have any classes. Upon hearing this she told him that he couldn't wander around the building though. He could relax just about anywhere in the building, or any classroom so long as he had permission from the teacher and wasn't disturbing the class.

"The best place to go when you don't have classes is the library." The receptionist explained to him. Ash thanked her before glancing up at the clock that was mounted on the wall. It was almost one o'clock, so he still plenty of time before he had to start thinking about his bus ride to his job. But what could he do until then?

The free period he had this morning he spent in Fantina's room. Perhaps he could hang out there until the school day was over.

Retracing his steps through the school, Ash eventually returned to the basement and found himself outside of Fantina's classroom. The door was open, allowing Ash to poke his head in to check and see if she had a class. Fortunately, the room was empty with the exception of Fantina and a single student. It was Dawn.

Both of them were in the back of the class in the free space where they had set up an easel and canvas for Dawn who was swiping away at it with a paintbrush. Hearing the shuffle of feet as Ash tried to enter quietly, Fantina glanced back and raised a brow at the sight of him. Raising a hand to wave at him, Fantina became intrigued when Ash put a finger against his lips, motioning for her to remain silent. Dawn hadn't noticed his presence in the room yet, and it seemed as though he wanted to keep it that way.

Fantina watched as he set down his backpack on one of the desks, and came to the back of the room where she and Dawn were standing. Taking a seat right of the floor a fair distance from Dawn, Ash opened up his sketchpad and began a little project of his own as he observed Dawn at work. She still hadn't noticed him, and Ash preferred it that way. Her posture remained natural as she was engrossed in her painting.

Fantina felt a small grin form on her face as she watched two of her students at work. It wasn't often you would find students so dedicated to their craft that they would be working hard from day one. She couldn't wait to see what kind of pieces they would produce in her class this year.

Dawn was wrapped up in her own little world as she swiped at the canvas, setting down another layer of paint for her background. She wasn't much of a painter, but Fantina had told her that there more to being a fashion designer than just clothing. She had to be able to visualize what she wanted to make, and then she would have to take that vision and make it a reality. This was one of the many things she still had to work on as she focused on the canvas.

'I think…I see it.' Dawn said to herself as she raised the palette she held, beginning to mix the blue and white that she had been working with. Now she began to apply paint to the canvas in greater quantities, filling the bottom with various shades of blue to quickly establish that it was the ocean that faded out in the horizon. At the center of the painting though was a golden sun that was dipping into the horizon line, bathing the water with its light as the sky above blazed in fiery reds and oranges.

Ash seemed to freeze for a moment as he watched Dawn. She had already been absorbed in her work, but now she began to attack the canvas intently with as the image in her mind came to life. Ash was…captivated. Leaning back a bit, Ash felt his heart skip a beat as he saw a pair of large white wings sprout from her back, gracefully spreading out behind her. Such large and powerful wings.

Now Ash returned his gaze to his sketchpad, focused on his work as well. His portrait of Dawn had started with him just drawing the figure of her as she worked, but now he began to work on the finer details. Quickly adding the features that identified her as Dawn, Ash moved to her torso where he began to work on the wings he could see.

Suddenly though, a blaring ringtone snapped the students out of their focused state, causing Dawn to set down her utensils as she recognized her ringtone. Reaching into her back pocket, Dawn finally noticed the small audience she had been working in front of.

"Ash?" She exclaimed as he looked up at her. In response, he gave her a small two-fingered wave before returning to his sketch, deciding to work from memory now. Dawn focused on her phone now, stepping away from the easel to answer a call from her mother. "What's up mom?"

Seeing that Dawn had become busy with her conversation, Fantina decided that now was a good opportunity to see what Ash had been up to. Looming over him, Fantina was glad to see that he kept working even as she began to observe him. Stooping down to get a closer look, Fantina could only raise her eyebrows at what she saw. She had been expecting a portrait of Dawn, but what she found was far more impressive.

He had sketched Dawn from her torso up, including the easel and canvas she had been working on. She held a paintbrush in one hand, and the palette in her other. He even captured the sharp gaze she had as she worked. But extending from her back was a pair of beautifully drawn wings that seemed to be the bigger focus of the piece that Dawn herself. Why was that?

"Aww man!" Dawn exclaimed with a sigh, tucking her phone back into the back pocket of her jeans.

"What's the matter?" Fantina asked her as both she and Ash looked toward the blue haired girl.

"My mom can't pick me up after school today, so I don't have a ride home." Dawn explained as she placed her hands on her hips. Normally she would've asked May to get a ride home, but May was currently without her own car due to some circumstances that the brunette was responsible for. Since they were now seniors, a majority of her friends didn't have any classes after seventh period. There was no one that she could turn to at the moment. "Crap, what am I going to do?"

"There's always the bus." Ash pointed out, causing Dawn to blush as she now had no choice but to admit one of her secrets.

"I've uh…never actually been on, a bus." She stated, causing Ash to look up at her incredulously.

"How have you never taken a bus?" He asked her.

"I always get rides from either my mom, or my friends." Dawn explained almost defensively.

"Not even the school bus?" Fantina inquired, causing Dawn to shake her head. "And how about you Ash, do you use the bus?"

"Yeah, all the time." He replied, causing Fantina to clap her hands together with a smile.

"Parfait! Monsieur…" She motioned to Ash, and then to Dawn. "will accompany mademoiselle, to her home!"

Even with Fantina's accent, Ash immediately understood what she was saying.

"Hold on a second." He began. "I can't do that."

"Why not? It's only proper for a gentleman to escort a lady to her home, especially in her hour of need." Fantina reasoned with him, causing Dawn's cheeks to redden at the statement. Fantina felt a twinge of guilt at her student's embarrassment, but she was certain that she could convince Ash to take Dawn home. "Are you a true gentleman?"

Ash glanced at Fantina, and she raised an eyebrow at him as she waited for his response. He then looked toward Dawn who was looking at him, her eyes large as if to beg for his assistance. With a sigh of defeat, Ash recalled a lesson that he had learned at home, and that was to never upset a woman.

"Fine, I'll get her home." He muttered.

"Hooray!" Dawn exclaimed.

"So where do you live?" Ash asked.

"I live over on the east side." Dawn replied, surprising Ash as his pencil almost slipped out of his hand.

"When you say that, you mean…" Ash trailed off as he recalled the few times he had ventured over to the east side of Vermilion City, the richest part of the city, and all of Kanto. Huge properties, massive estates, glittering roadways.

"The east side." Dawn repeated for him, and Ash left it at that.

"Okay, well my shift at work starts at four, and it'll take me an hour to get you home and another hour to get to work. We're going to have to leave right now to catch the next bus." Ash explained for her as he rose to his feet. This caused Dawn to begin to rush as she began to put away the supplies she had took out to paint. If there was one thing Fantina had learned about Dawn, it was that she could be a klutz when she was in hurry, and the inevitable took place almost immediately.

Dawn gave a gasp as he foot was caught on one of the legs of the easel, resulting in a loss of balance. Stumbling toward Ash, the paint palette she held went flying out of her hand, directly at Ash who didn't even have a moment to react. The dark haired boy looked down at the palette that was on his gray t-shirt now, watching as it slowly slid down his garment. It smeared paint straight down the front of his shirt before the palette fell the floor, rattling softly.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Ash!" Dawn exclaimed as she approached Ash who put out a hand to stop her.

"Are you alright?" Fantina inquired, watching as Ash went to the desk where he had left his backpack.

"Pssh, this is nothing," Ash replied as he dug through his bag. He pulled out a green shirt that had been neatly folded within his bag and proceeded to take off the gray shirt he wore right in front of them. Dawn flushed red at this, looking away from but this proved to be unnecessary since he wore a white undershirt. "I was going to have to switch to my uniform anyway."

He whipped open the green shirt, and threw it over his undershirt, taking a moment to stretch and neaten it out on his torso. Dawn curiously read the small logo on his shirt. 'Arts and Crafts'.

"You work at an art store?" Dawn asked him, receiving a nod as he tossed his gray shirt into his backpack.

"Yeah, it's close to where I live." Ash responded before motioning to the easel that was on the floor. Luckily Dawn's painting had landed upright, so it wasn't affected by the sudden drop.

"No no, you two go ahead. I'll clean up." Fantina said after glancing at the clock.

"Thank you Ms. Fantina." Dawn said as she untied the smock that she wore and placed it on a desk.

"I'll see you two next Monday." She said to them, watching as Dawn collected her backpack. As Ash began to head for the exit, Fantina swiped his sketchbook out of his hand, causing him to whirl around.

"What are you doing?" Ash practically demanded as she held onto his book.

"I want to see some more of your work monsieur," Fantina stated, earning a sharp stare from him. "I will return it to you on Monday."

"Come on Ash, we don't want to miss the bus." Dawn pointed out as she now stood by the entrance to the classroom. Ash inhaled sharply as if to say something, then he bit down on his lower lip and turned to follow Dawn. Fantina waved to her two students as they left, then she turned to the small mess Dawn had left her.

With a soft chuckle, Fantina made quick work of this. Fantina wouldn't say so openly, but Dawn was her favorite student. This was thanks in no small part to the patience she had for Fantina during her freshman year at this school.

Being raised in Kalos, and studying abroad in Sinnoh, Fantina had spoken French all her life. It wasn't until she arrived in Kanto almost four years ago did she have to pick up this language. She wasn't very good when she first got started, and this presented a great challenge for both herself and her students when she began working at North Vermilion High. Fantina knew of her students' frustration with the language barrier between them, but Dawn never seemed to be bothered by it. Rather she took it as an opportunity to learn something else from Fantina beyond the fine arts.

Fantina snorted as she held the painting Dawn had been working on. Unknowingly, Dawn had become a source of comfort for her instructor, and Fantina would have to thank her for that before she graduated.

Returning to her desk at the front of her room, Fantina took a deep breath as she took a seat, enjoying the silence that surrounded her. She only had one class left to teach today, so now she had some spare time to herself. Luckily, she had received something to help pass the time. Opening up Ash's sketchpad, Fantina was anxious to see what else he had drawn, and much to her delight, the book was filled with sketches.

There was a lot for her to examine, and Fantina did so with a smile. Turning to the back of the book, she found his most recent sketch of Dawn, and Fantina stopped to study it closely. It was magnificent how he detailed the wings extending from Dawn's back. Ash was certainly skilled with a pencil. Flipping back a page, she raised an eyebrow at the sketch of a Pidgey resting on the edge of a wall, its neck raised slightly as if it had spotted something of interest.

Turning the page, she now saw a sketch of a Pikachu resting on a small cushion, sleeping peacefully. The next two pages were also sketches of a Pikachu in a variety of poses though. As she continued to work her way back through the book, she began to see portraits of people. Page after page, it was the same three people. A woman and two young girls. Were they his family?

Fantina pursed her lips. It didn't really seem like it. She couldn't find any resemblance between them.

"How interesting." She noted quietly, leaning back into her seat.

* * *

Ash and Dawn sat together near the back of the bus, which was surprisingly empty early in the afternoon. Dawn leaned against the window, watching as the scenery passed by, but her eyes continued to wander back to Ash who was seated beside her. He continued to nod off in his seat, fighting the urge to sleep which made Dawn laugh inwardly.

"Are you okay Ash?" Dawn asked him, causing his head to snap up as he checked to see if this was their stop.

"Ah…uh, yeah I'm fine." He replied, shaking his head a bit an attempt to shake off his drowsiness. "I just get really sleepy when I ride the bus. It's a curse."

Dawn laughed a bit as he mumbled the last part.

"You know, my dad is just like that. He hates it when Darach has to drive him somewhere." Dawn pointed out. "Although, I've never understood what makes people sleepy during a ride."

"Everyone's different." Ash reasoned, receiving a nod from her.

"So, do you drive Ash?" Dawn asked him now, causing Ash to raise one eyebrow as he looked toward her.

"If I could drive Dawn, do you think we'd be on the bus right now?" Ash asked her in return, his lips curved up slightly. Dawn rolled her eyes at this.

"I mean, why don't you drive?" Dawn corrected herself.

"Cars are expensive." Ash said simply.

"But you have a job." She said. "If you save up half the money, couldn't your parents cover the other half for you?"

Dawn had only been curious, but she quickly regretted asking this question as Ash's stare became narrow. For only a moment, she saw hostility in his eyes, and then he blinked at it was gone.

"Cars are expensive. Let's just leave it at that." Ash repeated for her, folding his arms in front of his chest as he broke eye contact with her. Silence set in between them.

Dawn was a bit surprised by this and decided that it was best she drop the subject for now. She didn't mean to offend or irritate Ash. Opening her mouth to explain herself though, Dawn then swallowed her words, wondering if it was a good idea to try talking to him again. Would that further upset him? Not to mention she had also managed to smear paint all over one of his shirts. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin any opportunity of forming a friendship with Ash.

Peeking at Dawn out of the corner of his eye, Ash felt a pang of guilt in his chest. She had been so kind to him all day, and he was barely returning to the favor. It couldn't hurt to be friendly with her.

Dawn opened her mouth once again in an attempt to speak to Ash, but a sigh from him caused her to stop…again.

"Look, I'm sorry" Ash began as they made eye contact again. "You stepped on a landmine there, but I still had no business shutting you down like that."

"A landmine?" Dawn repeated, wrinkling her forehead.

"Yeah, money. It's a bit of a sore spot for me." Ash explained to her, although he doubts that she could understand. She had tried to pay the bus driver with a twenty dollar bill, not to mention she lived on the east side of Vermilion City. Money must have been an afterthought for Dawn and her family.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. Is there anything I could like, help with?" She offered. Ash looked at her funny for a moment, and then he shook his head.

"Nah, I can't do that. I'm doing just fine." Ash said as he waved off her offer. He couldn't tell if her generosity was real, or if she was clueless enough to give money to people she barely knew.

"Alright then," Dawn said, a bit dejected, but then she perked up all of a sudden. "Right, I saw your sketch at the end of first period. You're really good!"

Ash looked away from her.

"I'm nothing special." He responded after a few moments.

"Yes, yes you are." Dawn proclaimed.

"No, I'm really not." Ash stated again.

Dawn really couldn't understand why Ash didn't want any extra attention. First, it seemed like he wanted her to forget that he had saved her life. Now he wouldn't admit that he was a great artist. Was he hiding something? Dawn gave an irritated sigh at this.

"Alright then, so you're not some kind of expert. But you definitely have a good pair of eyes." Dawn noted.

'A good pair of eyes?' Ash said to himself. That was something he had never been told before. He watched as Dawn grabbed her bag from the floor and shuffled through her belongings before she pulled out her sketchbook.

"Can you look at some of my sketches and tell me what you think?" She asked him, extending the book toward him. Ash only stared at it in response.

"Why me?"

"Because…all summer I worked by myself. I want to hear different opinions about my work. Criticism can help me improve plus, I think your opinion really matters, even if you don't think it's anything special." Dawn said with a wink. Ash's cheeks reddened a bit at her statement. Grumbling a bit, he accepted the sketchbook and cracked it open.

Dawn watched nervously as he began to flip through a couple of her sketches before he settled on one of the pages with one of her dress designs. Ash stopped and studied it for quite a bit of time. Then he moved on to the next one, remaining completely silent. It was practically killing her. She wanted to know if he loved it…or hated it. What he really thought of her work. She had only seen once sketch from Ash, but it was enough for her to acknowledge that he could tell her what areas she could improve on.

Ash slid down a bit in his seat, chewing on his lower lip as he went through Dawn's sketchbook. Her work was solid fundamentally. She had the skill, there was no denying that. It was clear she worked hard, but there was still something that was missing. She didn't have an edge. She played it safe.

"It's…nice." Ash finally said something as he shut her book.

"And…?" Dawn leaned forward in her seat, waiting for him to continue.

"And…are you sure you want to know?" Ash asked her suddenly. She could hear some uncertainty in his voice. That didn't sound good.

But when Ash looked at Dawn, their eyes met again. And he could see that hers were unwavering. She was ready for whatever he had to say.

"Yeah, I really do." Dawn said sternly. Ash took in a deep breath, formulating the best way to say this.

"It feels like I'm looking at the work of a…skilled seventh grader." He said slowly, but Dawn's expression didn't change.

"…What do you mean by that ?" She asked after a few moments.

"I mean that you clearly have talent, but your work gives me the impression that you…" Ash paused for a moment, sorting through a selection of words. "…Haven't been exposed to too much. Kind of like, you grew up in a box."

"What?" Dawn exclaimed. Ash could tell by her sour expression that this didn't resonate too well with her.

"What I'm saying is that it feels like your work hasn't really matured yet." Ash clarified, thumbing his forehead mentally for not saying this first. This caused Dawn's expression to become neutral as she blinked several times; digesting the thoughts Ash had shared with her.

Dawn was…perplexed. She had always made it a point to look for something to improve, but during the summer, working on at least a dozen different projects, it never seemed like she was getting better. She was beginning to think that she had peaked as an artist. That there was nothing left for her to work on.

Yet after examining her work for just a few minutes, this guy that she barely knew, told her that her work wasn't mature. So…she still had more room to grow.

Dawn opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't form any words. Rather than leaving it a gap, she snapped her jaw shut and sunk into her seat.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ash asked her. She had gone silent after he had shared his observation, and he wasn't quite sure where to go from here. Dawn, however, remained silent and choose to his ignore his question.

"Next stop, Diglett's Boulevard!" An automated voice declared over the intercom. That was Dawn's stop. Ash stood up in the aisle, reaching over to one of the buttons that alerted the driver that they wanted to get off.

Soon enough, the duo found themselves stepping off the bus and onto the wide roadway that led into the area where Dawn lived. As the bus pulled away, Ash took a good look around at the area that was a stark contrast to where he lived. All of the homes were massive, and a fair distance from the road with long driveways leading up to them. It was hard for him to imagine that these incredible houses belonged to just one family, or sometimes even one person.

The best of the best lived here.

Dawn began walking, leaving Ash to follow her a few paces behind. He wanted to talk to her, but he wasn't sure what to say. He had thought that his comments about her sketches had offended her, but after going over what he had said, he couldn't see how. But at this point, Ash didn't want to risk putting his foot in his mouth and decided to keep his mouth shut for the time being.

It was about twenty minutes of silence before they arrived at Dawn's home which was deep into the boulevard. Arriving at a large gate, Dawn approached the small speaker mounted on the stone column and buzzed it.

"Hello?" A man said after a few moments.

"Darach, its Dawn." She replied.

"Ah Miss Dawn, you're home early aren't you?" He asked in return. There was a click, and the gate was unlocked. They opened automatically, allowing Dawn to step into her property. She didn't even look back at Ash as she left him at the entrance.

Watching her go, Ash exhaled and looked back down the boulevard. At the very least by the time he got back to the bus stop, it wouldn't be a long wait for the next bus.

* * *

Ash yawned as he walked along a sidewalk through the northern end of Vermilion City. The buildings that surrounded him were more or less the same. They were two stories high, with tight alleyways between them that had just enough room for a fire escape. As he walked with his hands in his pockets, Ash couldn't help but smile at the shouts from the children playing in the park across the street from him. That was his destination.

Overhead, Ash could see a number of Pidgey's perched on the roofs, chirping as the sun began to descend toward the horizon. Having finished his little four-hour shift at work, Ash would normally be headed home for dinner. But it was the first week of the month, which meant that he had different plans for tonight. And for the entire weekend as well.

Crossing the street using the crosswalk, Ash then entered the park and looked around at the people that populated it. Even though the school year had just begun today, the park was still loaded with kids playing. The sun was already dipping into the horizon though, and the skies were darkening so these children would all be running home soon as the street lights turned on. Following the concrete pathway, Ash continued through the park, passing the playground where he gave some of the kids a wave.

As he approached a bench, Ash smiled a bit at the sight of a woman seated alone with almost a dozen Pidgeys around her, pecking away at the birdseed she was tossing out. Stepping off of the pathway, Ash carefully went around this little scene to ensure that he didn't disturb the 'bird lady'. She glanced back at him as he passed around her, and their eyes met for a moment. Then she mouthed the words 'thank you' to him, and he gave her a nod before going back onto the pathway.

Finally, he found the person he was looking for. Seated at the next bench a little way down the pathway was a man who wore a black ivy cap on his head. This was the man he was supposed to meet with.

Approaching him, Ash took a seat beside him on the bench and gave him a small two-fingered wave.

"You the kid they told me about?" He asked Ash, glancing at him out of the corner of his eyes.

Ash responded though by pulling down the collar of his shirts a bit, revealing a red neckerchief that had been hidden beneath both of his shirts. Ash then motioned for the man to do the same. He tugged on his shirt as well, quickly revealing that he wore a red neckerchief as well, causing Ash to give him a nod.

"So what's happening this weekend?" Ash asked curiously.

"We got a big job this weekend. It the same stuff as always, pick up our shipments around the city and get em' to the shipyards. But we have a big client to meet with on Sunday, so no screw ups. The payout is going to real good if we get the job done right." The man explained, causing Ash to smile.

"I like the sound of that."

* * *

A/N

And there's the second chapter. Thank you for reading everyone! What do you think so far? What could Ash be up to after his first day at school?

I first want to start by giving a big shout out to MjrGenMatt who has offered to become my beta reader. I accepted almost instantly, and he did a tremendous job helping me iron out this chapter. So much thanks for that!

I don't have much to say this time around, so I just want to thank you a second time for reading our work. I hope you're enjoying it so far. The next chapter we'll start to explore Ash a bit more since Dawn had the spotlight more in this chapter. So until next time everyone, enjoy your day/night!


	3. Monsieur Ash?

**Chapter 3**

* * *

 _Sitting at a cafeteria table all by his lonesome, he had his chin propped up on one hand and he could only look around at the other occupants as they ate. The food they were given wasn't half bad, but it was nothing like what he ate at home._

 _It wasn't often he had someone to talk to. So he had a lot of time to himself, to just think. Think about how he ended up here._

 _He could remember that it all began when he met a girl with blue hair._

* * *

 **Monday, September 5th**

It was a beautiful Monday morning, and Fantina stood anxiously at the front of her first period class observing her students. This was officially the start of her curriculum since the first day was nothing but formalities and expectations. She couldn't wait to begin teaching her students, most of which were present and accounted for already. The first bell rung, signaling the countdown before classes began. The last of her missing students soon arrived, with the exception of Ash Ketchum.

Fantina had actually been looking forward to seeing him again. She was still in possession of his sketchbook, which she had gone through extensively during the weekend, and there was a lot that she wanted to talk to him about. With the thought of Ash, Fantina found that her gaze had drifted to Dawn. She could remember that she had trusted Ash to get Dawn home safely last Friday, and it appeared as though everything had gone as planned. Although Fantina couldn't help but notice that Dawn seemed to be a bit more reserved this morning.

The blue-haired beauty was often bubbly, especially when she was with her dear friend May. Not only that, Dawn was a very open person, making small talk with any of her peers, yet today she had barely spoken. Rather, she was completely wrapped up in her work. This type of behavior wasn't unusual for Dawn, she was always working hard, but Fantina hadn't assigned any type of project for the class. Yet Dawn was as focused as ever. Fantina smiled proudly at the girl's work ethic before the second bell rung.

Fantina pursed her lips a bit as she looked at her first period class roster one last time, checking off the names of the last students to arrive. Everyone but Ash was present. With a soft 'tsk', Fantina then focused on her class and called for everyone's attention.

" _Bonjour_ ~!" Fantina began cheerily. Some of the students responded to her greeting before she began her brief lesson.

Ten minutes into her lesson though, the door to her classroom quietly opened, revealing her only missing student – Ash. He slipped into the room and shut the door behind himself, trying not to draw any extra attention. Fantina furrowed her brow at the sight of him wearing a long sleeved shirt in this weather, but she quickly tossed that thought aside as Ash gingerly walked toward her desk.

"Monsieur Ketchum, being tardy will not be tolerated in my class." Fantina stated firmly as he passed her desk. Ash looked toward her, and when she got a good look at his face, Fantina could see that he was visibly drained. His eyes were exhausted, probably from a lack of sleep.

"I'm sorry. I won't let it happen again." He said, giving her a slow nod before he looked at the room for the seat he had used last time. Dawn glanced up as Ash passed by, and he looked down at her. Their gaze met for a moment before Ash broke line of sight and continued to the back of the room. Ash carefully took his seat, sighing with relief as he was finally sitting down for what felt like the first time in days.

Noticing that Dawn was looking back at Ash over her shoulder, May couldn't help but smirk.

"Pssst, Dawn." May whispered to her. "What's the deal between you two?"

"What?" Dawn whispered back.

"You and Ash. You're always looking at each other." May noted, and this caused Dawn's cheeks to gain some color as she now locked her gaze onto the sketch on her desk.

"So what?" Dawn retorted, and this only caused May's smirk to widen into a grin now.

"Do you like him or something?"

It was an innocent question, one that May had never asked Dawn before.

"I do not!" Dawn proclaimed loudly, receiving everyone's attention now. Dawn now turned bright red, unable to believe that she had shouted that in the middle of class. She apologized repeatedly to Fantina before sinking down into her chair out of embarrassment. May, on the other hand, was fighting off the urge to burst into a fit of laughter.

Dawn's denial had only furthered her suspicions now. May knew that Dawn wasn't much of a flirt, and most guys never really left a lasting impression on her. So, Dawn never really developed an interest in dating. It had been pointless to tease her for all the years May had known her, but _finally,_ the opportunity had arrived.

At the same time though, May took a curious glance back at Ash. From what she had seen Friday, Ash didn't strike her as an interesting person. The only noteworthy thing he had done to really deserve Dawn's attention was... _save her life_. Was Dawn suffering from a case of the hero syndrome? It wouldn't surprise May if all Dawn could see when she looked at Ash was a knight in shining armor.

First period concluded soundly, the entire class being dedicated to Fantina giving the class a brief history of various artists that they would be studying in the coming months. Now as her students left, Fantina waved to them all and called out that they would be starting their first assignment tomorrow.

Saying goodbye to May, Dawn then looked back at Ash yet again and saw that he was focused on a sketch of his own. Even as she looked at him openly, he didn't seem to notice her in the slightest. She really wanted to speak to him; she had been planning to all weekend. When the moment arrived though, Dawn found herself struggling to work up the nerve. Then second period started, and Dawn could only sigh and shake her head.

At least she had forty minutes now to build up some more confidence.

As second period began and Fantina took charge of her fashion and design class, Dawn sat in her seat, lost in her thoughts.

 _"It feels like I'm looking at the work of a…skilled seventh grader."_

Ash's critique had been on her mind all weekend. Why? Dawn was certain that Ash hadn't insulted her work, but she didn't like what she heard either. Her work wasn't mature? What did he mean? How could she make her artwork _"grow up?"_

Dawn sat in her room all weekend trying to answer these questions. She failed to find an answer, so she turned to the one thing she knew how to do. Dawn began to draw like a maniac, all weekend. She drew everything that came to mind, from dress designs, to various objects in her room, trying to practice everything that she could think of. However, nothing she completed seemed to satisfy her, and this left her frustrated!

The whole weekend she just wanted to find Ash and wring his neck to get an answer to all her questions. How could one short discussion leave her with so many questions?

Now though, seated in Fantina's room, Dawn remembered that she had completely blown Ash off after he had shared his thoughts. She felt really bad about that too. His opinion had left her confused, and she didn't really know what to say to him from there. She could only hope that her poor attitude hadn't offended him.

Finally second period came to an end, and Dawn took a deep breath before she approached Ash.

"Hey~, what's up?" Dawn greeted him with a small wave. Ash snorted softly as he looked up at her from his seat.

"So now you want to talk to me?" He inquired with a small grin, trying to put her at ease. Dawn became flustered though at the reference to her behavior last week.

"Well I, uh…" Dawn stammered, unable to find any words.

"Look, look." Ash said, waving for her to calm down. "I hope what I said last Friday didn't bother you. I didn't mean to come across like an…ass."

The short pause before he described himself with a shrug caused Dawn to stifle a laugh as she seemed to relax now.

"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. I wasn't upset or anything, I just didn't know what to say at the time." She explained to him as he reached to the floor, grabbing the strap of his backpack with his right hand. He winced uncomfortably as he did so before lifting up his bag. "But I feel bad that I didn't even say good bye, or even thank you for helping me get home."

"Don't even worry about that." Ash stated as he rose from his seat, through his backpack over his shoulder. Releasing his hold on the strap now, Dawn's gaze became fixated on it now. It was a blue strap, but it had been stained red from where Ash had been holding it.

"What happened to…?" Dawn trailed off as she looked down at his right hand. She could see a thin trail of blood traveling down the back of his hand, and she could only imagine how much was on his palm for it to stain his backpack.

"Ash, are you okay?" Dawn asked him as he caught sight of where she was looking. Raising his palm to see for himself, Ash scrunched up his face for a moment and his expression became stoic. "Ash?"

He brushed past her, making his way toward the exit of the room. Just watching as he tried to move, Dawn could see that his steps were unsteady and he was clearly in pain. She could tell he was in pain trying to move quickly.

"Ash!" Dawn shouted, and her sudden call gained Fantina's attention. Their instructor had been standing at the entrance of the room saying goodbye to her students as they left. The only ones that remained were Ash and Dawn, and when she saw Ash struggling, he became her only focus.

"Monsieur." Fantina stated as he reached the entrance. She had positioned herself in front of the doorway to prevent Ash from leaving. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ash replied softly. Fantina stole a glance at Dawn, and she could tell by the concern on Dawn's face that something was wrong.

"No, he's not, he's bleeding." Dawn exclaimed as she tentatively approached them. She was grateful that Fantina had been standing there now. There was no telling what Ash was going to do now, and Dawn wasn't sure how to approach this situation.

"Is that true monsieur, are you injured?" Fantina asked him, giving him a hard stare as she began to put some pieces together. Her eyes quickly scanned Ash, spotting the stain on the strap of his backpack and then the trickle of blood that hung from the knuckles of his closed hand. Did Ash really think that he could leave her room in such a state? "Roll up your sleeve."

"No way, forget that." Ash responded, taking a step back from her. But he quickly realized this was futile as he was trapped in her classroom.

"Why not?" Fantina pressed. He was clearly hurt, so what reason could he have to be denying it?

"I'm telling you, _I'm fine_." Ash insisted firmly, meeting her stare with a stare of his own. Fantina wasn't intimated by him.

"Ash." Fantina began, and this seemed to get his attention. He had only conversed with her once on Friday, but this was the first time that she had addressed him with his name. "Injuries to our students are taken very seriously. If this isn't reported or handled properly, someone here could lose their job. I need to know what happened to you."

Ash opened his mouth but hesitated before he spoke. Fantina was warning him that her own job could be at stake because of him. He didn't want her to lose her job but…

"I can't." He said, exhaling deeply. "I just can't."

Fantina glanced up at Dawn once again and realized that her presence might be the problem.

"Dawn, can you leave us for now?" Fantina asked her as kindly as she could.

"Uh, yeah." Dawn said, giving Fantina a timid nod before she slipped out of the room, remembering that she had a class to get to. Ash didn't object to this, and Fantina shut the door to her room now to give them privacy.

"Ash. I'm going to give you two options. I can take you to the nurse's office to get checked out, and we will call your parents about this." Fantina offered, and Ash immediately began to shake his head with a grim expression. "Or, I can take you to the hospital and get you checked out there and I will handle the questions from the doctors. You will tell _me_ everything though."

"But I-"

"This will be between just you and me. No one else will hear about this." Fantina interjected. Ash though, gave her a narrow stare that was filled with skepticism.

"How do I know I can trust you?" He asked her.

"You don't." Was all she said in response. She would leave it up to Ash to choose. She knew the boy had a conscious that he couldn't ignore. He couldn't find it in himself to leave Dawn helpless last Friday, and now it wouldn't let him ignore that Fantina was putting her job at stake for him.

Ash sighed audibly, scratching the back of his head with his left hand. He selected his second option, and Fantina gave him a grateful nod as she motioned for him to follow her. Leading him to one of the fire exits, Fantina used this as a back entrance to take Ash out the building without drawing any further attention to him.

* * *

Fantina sat in the lobby of a small clinic, quietly reading one of the magazines that had been set out in the waiting area. She had driven Ash here in her car, and she was hoping to return to the school before her fifth period class. Fantina had already notified the main office that she was going out for a bit, but if she didn't return in time for her next class she would definitely have some explaining to do.

Flipping through the magazine, Fantina failed to read anything on the pages. She was lost in her thoughts trying to understand Ash Ketchum. She could tell that he wasn't a bad kid. He cared enough to make sure none of the staff of North Vermilion High lost their job over something he had done. His lifestyle beyond school was what worried Fantina, and his safety had become her number one concern.

After going through his sketchbook during the weekend, there was no denying that Ash was an exceptional artist. He was very good at drawing, and Fantina could see that he was passionate about his work. So she could only wonder how he managed to hurt his drawing hand in such a manner.

It had been roughly thirty minutes since they had arrived, and finally, Ash returned to her along with one of the nurse practitioners. It was a female nurse who seemed to be irritated as she approached Fantina with Ash. She looked down at the clipboard she held for a moment as Ash took a seat beside Fantina.

"So, you're his legal guardian?" She asked curiously, an eyebrow raised.

"No madam, I am his instructor at school." Fantina replied as she promptly closed the magazine she held and placed it on the center table. In response to this bit of information, the nurse gave Ash a sharp glance.

"You're only a student?" She asked him, but Ash maintained the same stubborn silence he had given her while she treated him.

"Yes. He came to school today and one of his peers revealed to me that he was hurt." Fantina explained for the nurse. "He's rather stubborn, and he wouldn't even admit that he was hurt."

The nurse took a quick glance at Ash who seemed to be ignoring their conversation now. Ash had refused to answer any of her questions as she bandaged his arm, and now it became clear to her that he was hiding something from everyone.

"Young man, care to explain?" The nurse said, looking at him expectantly. Ash made eye contact with her briefly, but his silence continued.

"Madam, if I may." Fantina began, gaining the nurse's attention. "I brought him here under the agreement that I would answer the questions."

"Do you know what happened to him?" The nurse inquired.

"I'm not aware of all the details at the moment," Fantina admitted as she took a glance at Ash now. "Although I do intend to learn everything once we are done here."

The nurse raised her brow at this. Fantina seemed confident that she would get the answers that the nurse had failed to get out of Ash. Hopefully, she would find success.

"Then here's something you'll want to know. This fight, mugging, whatever it was that happened to him, it needs to be investigated." The nurse stated, causing Fantina's eyes to widen momentarily.

"Investigated?" She repeated. The nurse raised her clipboard, scanning what she had written down for a few moments.

"The bruises on his torso are nothing to take lightly. I would make sure you ice them properly. Then there's that wound on his arm." The nurse went on. "It's not a stab wound, but his arm was sliced open by a weapon. It's nothing that can't heal over time but you can't just brush this aside."

"Believe me I'll be looking into this." Fantina stated firmly, giving Ash a sharp glance with the nurse once again. Fantina had been a roller coaster of emotions, and it seemed as though this ride from far from over. The initial panic of discovering that Ash was hurt, followed by the irritation of trying to get some answers out of him. Then there was a sense of relief when she had managed to convince him to come to the clinic. Now though, a feeling of dread had washed over her as she studied her student. She _had_ to know what happened to him.

Seeing that they were focusing on him intently now, Ash exhaled since he knew he would have to share something with them.

"I live in a rough neighborhood, this is nothing new." He responded with a huff.

"Like I was saying, bumps and bruises are one thing. What happened to your arm-" The nurse pointed at the bandages on his arm that were still visible since his shirt sleeve was rolled up. "-That's serious. Anyone that goes around hurting innocent people should be in jail. You're just lucky none of your larger blood vessels were hit."

Ash opened his mouth to defend himself but snapped it shut. Anything he could've said now wouldn't do him any good.

"So I'll just assume you tried to wrap your arm up yourself?" The nurse asked him now. In answer Ash just looked down at his shirt sleeve, choosing to roll it down now to conceal his bandages.

Ash had to admire her persistence. Most people would've been irritated at this point, but he could tell that she must have been blessed with patience if she was going into the medical field. Helping people could be a thankless job at times, and Ash wasn't making it this easier for her.

"I'll take your silence as a yes." The nurse continued. "The way your arm was wrapped wouldn't have accomplished anything. If that wound was any deeper, you'd probably be in the hospital right now suffering from blood loss. There's no point in trying to hide injuries, they're nothing to take lightly. I don't care how young you are, you _aren't_ invincible."

"Thank you for your help madam." Fantina cut in now, causing the nurse to sigh audibly as she directed her attention at Fantina.

"I trust you'll be in contact with his family?" The nurse asked Fantina, earning a nod from the woman.

"Of course." She replied.

"Good." The nurse said before looking back at Ash, extending her hand toward him. She held three rolls of gauze, motioning for him to accept these items. "Make sure you remove those bandages in a few days and have someone rewrap your arm for you. If you don't have someone who can do it properly, come back here then."

Once Ash had taken the gauze from her, Fantina thanked the nurse graciously for helping them. Ash did the same, although very quietly in comparison to Fantina.

The two of them left the lobby of the clinic and went out into the parking lot where Fantina's two-door convertible was waiting for them. Once they were seated, Fantina leaned back into the driver's seat and stared at Ash. They sat in silence for a bit as Fantina waited for Ash to explain himself. It became clear to her that she would have to initiate this conversation though.

"So what did you tell the doctor?" She inquired.

"That I was jumped by a pair of guys last night, and rather than go to the hospital, I just tried to bandage myself up." Ash explained to her.

"And was that _la_ _vérité?_ " Fantina pressed, although Ash blinked at her with a furrowed brow.

"What did you say?"

" _La vérité…_ how do you say, um, the truth." She corrected herself. Ash bit down on his lower lip for a moment, unable to determine what he should tell Fantina. He barely knew her, and yet here she was doing the same thing as Dawn. She was worried about him even though she had no reason to be.

"No, it wasn't." He responded after a few moments.

"Okay then. I want to know…the truth." Fantina said, and in return, she received silence from Ash. He just looked down at his hands that rested on his lap, breathing deeply. Fantina then removed the keys from the ignition, deciding that she needed to reinforce her stance on this matter. "And we're not going anywhere until I hear it."

Ash remained silent though, looking around at the other cars in the parking lot. Some time passed and Fantina waited patiently, her arms folded in front of her chest.

"Why?" He asked her finally.

"Why what?"

"Why do you care so much? You've talked with me a grand total of what, two or three times? You have no reason to give a damn about me." Ash said almost heatedly as he looked at her.

"Monsieur…no, Ash. First and foremost I am your teacher, and I am also your mentor. I want nothing more than to see you succeed. I have seen your work, and you're very talented." She explained, recalling the various portraits she had seen in his sketchbook. "To see a child with your potential show up to my class hurt…I have every right to care."

"This…all of this-" Ash said, motioning to her car and the clinic that she had gone out of her way to bring him to. "-goes way beyond concern."

"You're correct. It does. But I show more than just concern for my students. I love each of every one of them. And I love you." Fantina stated, and Ash was dumbfounded by this. His mouth hung agape for a moment as he stared at her with wide eyes.

He was...touched by this. It was truly the last thing he had expected to hear from her. He had done nothing to deserve this from her, yet she was going to such lengths for him. Ash sighed once again, running his left hand through his unruly hair.

"Fine." He muttered. As much as he didn't want to, he would tell her the truth. "During the weekend, I was working with the Red Skulls."

It was Fantina's turn to be dumbfounded now.

The Red Skulls! _The Red Skulls!_

He was working with those thugs that were always in the news!?

 _"Monsieur, ells sont une bande de voyous!"_ Fantina exclaimed before covering her mouth since she had gone straight back to speaking in French. "Those are a group of thugs!"

Ash winced as she whispered at him harshly once she repeated herself in English.

"What are you doing around people like that?" Fantina demanded to know.

"I can't give you all of the details, but I was helping them transport Pokemon around the city." Ash continued, and Fantina's eyes grew wide at this.

"That's illegal!" She declared as if Ash didn't know.

"You think I don't know that?" Ash asked before shaking his head a bit. "It doesn't matter though, I've done this with them a couple of times now. They promised me a big payday if I helped with this job over the weekend, and I needed the money."

Fantina frowned deeply, clearly disappointed. He was gifted, but involved in a terrible lifestyle. How could this happen to him?

"What could you possibly need the money for?" She asked now.

"At the end of the month, we have bills to pay at my house. The salary we live off of barely covers it, so we have to cut back on a few things…like food. _And I can't stand that_." Ash said scornfully, recalling the nights where his siblings had gone to bed hungry. "So I go to the Red Skulls at the end of every month to make up the money we don't have."

Fantina's disappointment faded slightly. She was glad that this was the answer she received as it allowed her to cast aside the negative thoughts she had concerning Ash. He was noble, but also foolish for turning to thugs for money. She couldn't approve of this.

"Ash, while I want to respect you for trying to help your family, I cannot support what you are doing." Fantina said to him, and this earned a sharp glance from Ash.

"Do you think I care?" He snapped suddenly. "I can't care. No one else is going to take care of us, so that means I have to. It doesn't matter how much it hurts me."

Ash held his injured forearm, perhaps subconsciously, rubbing his thumb over the bandages.

'No one else is going to do it?' Fantina repeated in her head. Perhaps Ash didn't have a father so he took it upon himself to pick up some of the slack for his family. That would explain why there were no portraits of a man in his sketchbook. Fantina's expression softened a bit as she looked at Ash's arm.

"I'm sorry for getting so worked up." Ash said after taking a deep breath, relaxing into his seat. Fantina decided that now it was better to drop the subject and focus on the last thing she needed to know.

"You know, you haven't told me how you ended up like this yet." Fantina pointed out, motioning to his forearm.

"Right." He exhaled before looking up as he recalled the events that had happened for sunrise today. "So, we were running behind schedule, and I got busted at our last pick up. We missed it and had to run. The two guys I was with were pretty pissed that I screwed up our last shipment because our pay more or less depended on that one."

Fantina now began to understand what was going to take place.

"They thought it'd be a good idea to make a point to show me what happens to someone when they screw up." Ash went on, recalling as they beat away at him with their fists and feet. "You probably don't know what a Scyther is, but it's a Pokemon with blades for arms. They thought a demonstration was in order so…"

Being pinned against the wall by the two guys, Ash watched as the green Pokemon approached him with a hiss, raising one of its arms toward his own. It was a shallow wound, one that caused Ash to cry out as his skin split. It was shallow, but Ash was bleeding nonetheless. This was only a warning though that the next time he messed up, his whole arm could be lost in an instant.

"I sincerely hope that you have no intention of working with them again." Fantina said after hearing the whole story.

"I'll do what I have to do." Ash replied stubbornly, getting a sigh from the woman as she started her car now.

She knew that Ash Ketchum was going to be a handful, and she needed to know more about him.

* * *

The school day had passed quickly for Ash after he had returned to school with Fantina. Dawn had been anxiously waiting to see if he was alright, and he assured the girl that he would be alright. Fortunately, she hadn't mentioned his injury to anyone else, and with his long sleeved shirt on, no one else would even know that his arm was all bandaged up underneath.

No one at school had any questions for him thankfully, but there was still one more person that he would have to answer to, and she was waiting for him at home.

Stepping off of the bus, Ash hopped onto the sidewalk and began walking along with the rest of the busy populace. The street he had gotten off the bus on was one of the busier streets in uptown Vermilion City, but the crowds began to thin out as Ash reached his neighborhood. It wasn't anything like the heart of Vermilion City, but the two-story buildings were tightly packed together, most of them being home to just a single family.

Arriving at the front of his home, Ash jumped up the stairs two at a time until he stood in front of the entrance. Fishing a pair of keys out of his pocket, Ash opened the front door and disappeared into his home for several minutes. Then he came back out, this time in a green polo shirt that functioned as his work uniform. Oblivious to the fact that he was being watched, Ash went on his way down the block, beginning his short trip to work.

Now with the location of Ash's home in mind, Fantina parked her car down the street and took a moment to go through some mental preparation. She had no idea what could be taking place within this household, or if they would appreciate her visit of concern. Stepping out of her car, Fantina made her way to his home and stopped at the staircase leading up to the front door. Tentatively she climbed the stairway, swallowing any uncertainty she had and knocked on the door. Immediately she heard a pair of footsteps come rushing to the door, opening it with no hesitation.

"Ashy!" A little girl chirped happily as she threw open the door, but this quickly turned to a frown at the sight of Fantina.

"Macy, I told you not to answer the door on your own." Another girl shouted as she came rushing to the front door. She yanked the smaller girl back into the house and looked up at Fantina before slamming the door shut. Fantina could only stand there in shock for a moment, blinking a couple of times. That was certainly not what she had been expecting.

Fantina then heard some shouting from behind the front door as yet another pair of footsteps approached the front door. The door was opened once more, but this time an adult was looking at her. It was a woman with long blonde hair who gave a sigh of relief that Fantina was still there.

"I'm sorry about that.' She began sheepishly before giving the two girls behind her a narrow stare. "These two knuckleheads here tend to do a lot when my back is turned."

"I see you've got your hands full." Fantina noted as she studied this woman, and then it struck her. This was the woman in the portraits Ash had drawn. Could this be his mother? There was no resemblance between them so she didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

"So what can I do for you?" She asked Fantina who shook herself out of her thoughts.

"Does Ash Ketchum reside here?" Fantina asked, causing the woman to sigh.

"Yes, he does." She stated exasperatedly. "What did he do this time?"

"I am Fantina, and I teach his art class at school. I just have some concerns about him after seeing his condition at school today." Fantina explained to her.

"I guess you're lucky he even came to school today." The woman replied as she invited Fantina into her home. "I'm Cassidy by the way."

"Nice to meet you. But um, what do you mean?" Fantina asked as she shut the door behind her, glancing down at the two girls that were now curiously listening from the mention of Ash.

"He was a little beat up today, wasn't he?" Cassidy asked as she led Fantina into the living room, the girls following close behind.

"Yes, he-" Fantina froze as she entered the room, shocked at the sight of the massive mural on the far wall. It was a brilliant painting of a forest in the middle of autumn. Fantina was impressed with the piece as a whole, but as she approached it to see some of the finer details, her expectations for Ash grew once again. Even the birds that were flying over the forest had been painted accurately, and she identified them as Pidgeots "Did...Ash do this?"

"Mhmm." Cassidy said as she motioned for Fantina to take a seat on the sofa where she was already located.

"Ashy's the best!" The smallest girl exclaimed as Cassidy scooped her up from the floor and placed her on the couch beside her.

"Incredible." Fantina said softly, mesmerized by his level of skill.

"He did this about three years ago when he was fifteen." Cassidy said with a smile of pride. As much as Fantina wanted to admire his work so more, she had to focus on the reason she had come to Ash's home.

"So you were saying that you knew he'd be hurt?" Fantina asked Cassidy as she sat down. Cassidy sighed inwardly before she began to speak.

"I'm sure if you've come here you must have talked to Ash a bit. I doubt you'd be here otherwise." Cassidy pointed out, receiving a nod of confirmation from Fantina. "He knows that we'll always have a bad week at the beginning of the month, so he disappears for the weekend, and then comes back with groceries for us. He's a little beat up each time he comes back, and I still haven't been able to get an answer out of him about what he's been doing."

"Have you tried to find out?"

"Oh, course I have. But he's almost eighteen, and he's always been hard to handle." Cassidy noted, rolling her eyes a bit. "He's too stubborn for his own good. But…I know that in the end, he's only doing this to help us."

"And you're okay with that?" Fantina asked her pointedly. "Knowing that your son is out there getting hurt for your sake?"

Cassidy raised her eyebrows a bit, and then she looked to the older of the two girls sitting beside her.

"Casey, why don't you and Macy go to the kitchen to get a snack for us?" Cassidy suggested. The purple haired girl gave her a nod.

"Come on Macy, let's go." Casey said as she helped her sister off the sofa. Once the two of them had left the living room, Cassidy sighed before making eye contact with Fantina once again.

"I see you haven't been told everything. I'm not Ash's mother. He just lives here with me." Cassidy revealed, and Fantina felt her chest tighten as new possibilities enter her mind.

"So that makes you his…aunt?" Fantina asked cautiously, but Cassidy shook her head. "Are you related to him at all?"

"No. I'm just his guardian. I still love him like a son, but he's not mine. There's only so much I can do with him." Cassidy said to her.

"So then, are either of those girls, yours?" Fantina inquired as she motioned to the doorway they had left through. Cassidy gave a small chuckle, her expression becoming very relaxed.

"They aren't 'mine', per se, but they are my family." She replied. "A couple of years ago I took in a few kids that were on their own, and I've had them ever since. I take care of them like they're my own."

"Do you know what happened to Ash's parents?" Fantina pressed, her mind running wild with different thoughts as she was now starting to delve into Ash's personal life. Cassidy put a halt to this though as she shook her head.

"You'll have to ask him yourself," Cassidy replied. "He's not too keen on talking about it, but once you get to know him better, he might open up to you."

Fantina leaned back into the sofa now, taking a deep breath. She could sympathize with Ash now. He was just trying to take care of them. But the risks he was taking were far too high, and she could see that he didn't want any of them to worry about what he was doing.

'I'll keep this to myself for now.' Fantina said to herself as she exhaled. "Well, this was _enlightening_. I'll be sure to keep a close eye on Ash in class."

"Thank you. It's good to know that someone will be looking out for him." Cassidy said as Fantina rose up. "Are you leaving?"

"Ah, yes." Fantina answered.

"But you said you're his art teacher right?" Cassidy continued, getting a nod from Fantina. "Then you can't leave yet. You haven't even begun to see what Ash has done around here."

"What are you talking about?" Fantina asked her politely, her curiosity piqued.

"Almost every room is like this one." Cassidy explained as the girls returned now with a small bowl of pretzels. Fantina thanked them kindly as she accepted this small snack. "Girls, why don't show her around your rooms and maybe take her into Ash's room after that."

"O-kay!" Macy said happily as she trotted off into the corridor, waiting for Fantina to follow her. As the three of them began to go up the staircase to the second floor, Fantina realized that she hadn't properly introduced herself to them yet.

"So my name is Fantina." She began, motioning to herself. "What are your names?"

"I'm Macy!" The youngest one declared. She was small, with light brown hair was braided into a pair of pigtails. Fantina couldn't get over how cute she was, smiling vibrantly at her. "I'm three!"

Fantina returned Macy's smile as they reached the top of the staircase. She then turned, looking back at the older of the two who had been trailing behind them.

"And you?" Fantina said to her as studied this girl. She had lavender colored hair, seemed to be rather short for her age. At a glance, Fantina assumed she was preteen, no older than twelve.

"I'm Casey." She replied with almost a grumble as she walked past Fantina. The woman watched as Casey took the lead, taking them to Macy's room where the door was wide open. While Casey entered without saying a thing, Macy took Fantina by the hand and guided her to the room. Fantina raised her brow a bit, realizing that Casey was already becoming a moody teenager in comparison to her sweet little sister.

Entering Macy's room, Fantina was left speechless. On the far wall of Macy's room was a lush green forest. The tree trunks were painted splendidly, with sharp details on the foliage, but at the center of the piece was a Stantler. It stood proudly on a flat stone, its head raised as it peered out at its surroundings.

"Ashy made this for me." Macy explained as she ran over to the mural, looking up at it in awe. "He's really good at drawing."

"This is a painting Macy." Casey pointed out to her sister, now standing in the doorway. She watched with amusement as Fantina took out her phone and began to take pictures of this painting from various angles.

"This is… _magnifique!_ " Fantina exclaimed.

"You should check out the one in my room then." Casey stated, causing Fantina to perk up as she glanced at the girl.

"Please." Fantina said, motioning for Casey to lead the way.

Soon enough, Fantina was standing in another bedroom struggling to find the words to describe the latest mural she was looking at. This one was of a baseball field, from just behind home plate. An Electabuzz stood up at bat, pointing the bat at the far side of the stadium. The field was amazing, with each player standing in their positions, and the stands were packed with people. Every detail was accounted for and this left Fantina completely astounded.

Ash was _amazing_!

"He has a ton of paintings in his room. We keep telling him he should just become an artist but he just ignores us." Casey pointed out with a sigh. "He's so hopeless…"

"Do you wanna see Ashy's room?" Macy asked Fantina as the older woman took several snapshots of Casey's mural.

Fantina looked down at the girl and smiled heartily. She could only imagine what his room must have been like if he had gone to such lengths for these two girls. Macy led her down the hall and they came to a stop in front of a room that was locked. Much to Fantina's surprise, beside the door, was a small cushion with a Pikachu sound asleep on top of it. Macy kneeled down beside the small Pokemon and began to run her hand down his back.

"Time to wake up Pikachu." Macy said to him, and Pikachu perked up to expect his company. He identified Macy immediately and shifted his gaze to Fantina, curiosity evident in his eyes. Who was this?

"Pi?" He asked, his ear straightening up with the question.

"Don't worry Pikachu. This is Ash's teacher from school," Casey explained and Pikachu relaxed upon hearing this information. "We're going into Ash's room, okay?"

Pikachu gave her a nod and hopped off the cushion at the opportunity to enter the room as well, a devilish grin on his face. Macy then reached under the cushion on the floor to retrieve a key which she passed to Casey.

"Thanks Pikachu." She said kindly, petting his head.

With the sketches she had seen in Ash's book, Fantina had been expecting to find a Pikachu in this household, but it still surprised her that her assumption turned out to be true. The great variety of sketches Ash had drawn of this Pokemon possessed such fine details that Fantina could tell he wasn't relying on pictures from the internet for references. Fantina observed how these two girls moved around this Pokemon without the slightest bit of hesitation. They were so comfortable in the presence of a Pokemon, something that couldn't be said for the general population.

Most people didn't appreciate even the thought of being close to these creatures, especially since they're recognized for working with the gangs and thugs. Fantina now understood why Ash lacked concern for his safety with the Red Skulls. He was already accustomed to being around Pokemon. Fantina made a mental note of this and tucked the thought away as the door to Ash's room was opened.

"Why does he keep the door locked?" Fantina asked, but before either girl could respond, Pikachu darted into the room and jumped onto Ash's bed immediately, ruining the sheets that had been straightened out by Ash in the morning.

Fantina struggled to suppress her laughter at the sight of this small Pokemon rolling about on Ash's bed while Macy pleaded with him to stop. Fantina refocused herself and peered into Ash's world as she began to take in his room in its entirety. To her surprise, the walls of his room were bare. She had been expecting a mural perhaps on an even greater scale than what she had seen in the rooms before. His room, however, had nothing on the walls. It was just white. The floor though was covered with canvas' that varied in size, just like Casey said. Paintings everywhere.

Stepping into his room, Fantina stooped down to begin examining them and one, in particular, caught her attention. It was a monotone picture of a gray figure that was seated, their legs pulled up to their chest. They were hunched over as if they were cowering, but emerging from their back was a pair of enormous white wings. Unlike the wings she had seen Ash drawn on Dawn, these wings were weighed down by large black chains that rose from the floor.

Fantina furrowed her brow as she stared at this painting for a while. What was the meaning behind this? Was it some sort of self-examination?

Seeing Ash draw Dawn in a similar fashion, Fantina knew that there had to be some sort of deeper meaning behind this image.

"Well, it looks like you guys made it to his room." Cassidy noted, pulling Fantina out of her thoughts. Turning around to face the woman who stood in the doorway, Fantina saw that she had a letter in her hand now. "So what do you think of him?"

"He's incredible…I've worked with some talented children before, but…" She paused, glancing back at the painting that littered the room. "…he's the best I've seen for his age."

"I know you were planning to leave soon, but I wanted you to see this before you go." Cassidy said as she handed the envelop she held to Fantina.

"What is this?" Fantina asked as she accepted the item. Opening it, she found that there was a handwritten letter on the inside.

"Just read that." Cassidy replied, motioning for the two girls with them to head downstairs.

 _To whomever this concerns,_

 _Every mother cherishes the moment that their child is placed in their arms for the first time. For just a brief moment, you can't pay attention to anything except for the life that you're now holding in your arms. A life that you will have the responsibility of molding, shaping…guiding. All you want to do is pour every ounce of your experience into this child, to make sure that they become all that they can be._

 _Ash Ketchum, my beloved son…I won't have the privilege of seeing what he becomes. I had thought that we would share a lifetime together, yet that is going to come to a swift end. Now as I write this, I know full well that my son will become something special. Even at the young age of seven, I can see that people just gravitate to him…the way he talks, how he stands up for himself and everyone around him. He won't give anyone anything less than his best._

 _Then the day arrived when Ash's father gave him a Pikachu. From that day forward, Ash and Pikachu were inseparable. They ate together, slept together and played together. You couldn't find one without the other._

 _His father though began to fill Ash's head with the grandeur of being a Pokemon trainer. Telling him stories of the battles that took place between trainers and their Pokemon and Ash just fell in love with it. There was no denying it, and it led to exactly what I thought would happen. Ash told me he was going to become a Pokemon trainer._

 _I couldn't find it in my heart to tell him how dangerous the lifestyle is. He viewed it so highly that I didn't want to shatter his dream. It didn't take me long to realize though that nothing I said would've changed his view of becoming a Pokemon trainer. He's just as stubborn as his father and will stick to whatever path he's chosen._

 _Where that stubbornness will lead him, I don't know. However, I am certain that Ash will go very far. He's gifted in so many ways…he can do anything he wants once he puts his mind to it. As his mother, I want nothing more than for him to be happy, but I pray for his safety above all else. I want him to have friends, to have a family if he wants to, and live his life to the fullest._

 _Whoever Ash is entrusted to, please watch over him and if it's possible, offer him a bit of guidance to keep him on the right path._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Delia Ketchum._

Ketchum? Fantina remembered Ash introducing himself with that surname. So this was his mother.

"So…she passed away?" Fantina asked softly, looking up at the blonde woman.

"Yes, but that's all I can tell you. If you want to know anything further, you'll have to talk to Ash yourself." Cassidy replied in an equally hushed tone. "I don't show that letter to just anyone, but I can tell that you actually care about Ash. You wouldn't have come here otherwise."

Fantina opened her mouth as if to protest, but then she shut it and her lips curved upward slightly. Cassidy was a very sharp woman.

"I know earlier I might have sounded like I didn't care what happens to Ash…I really hope it didn't come across that way, but there's only so much I can do for him by myself." Cassidy admitted sorrowfully. "Please, I'm begging you on Delia's behalf; please help me keep her son safe."

Fantina exhaled audibly, and this caused Cassidy's expression to darken at the prospect of Fantina refusing. Then Fantina's face lit up though with a bright smile as she approached Cassidy, leaned forward and placed a kiss on each of her cheeks. Cassidy's eyes became wide at this as she took a step back from Fantina, but was immediately put at ease by the warmth of her expression.

"Fear not, monsieur Ash will be under my watchful eyes for the entirety of this school year. I will make sure he stays focused." Fantina assured her. Cassidy gave her a slow nod of thanks.

"Were those kisses really necessary?" Cassidy asked curiously as she invited Fantina to follow her out of the room. Noticing Cassidy's colored cheeks, Fantina realized that she might not have been comfortable with her gesture.

"My apologies madam, I was raised in Kalos and we are very affectionate people. It is only a gesture of kindness." Fantina explained, and Cassidy stifled a laugh at this. That was the first time she had been kissed by anyone besides her husband.

As they stepped out of Ash's room, Fantina glanced back at the painting of the figure with chained wings, and it clicked. Ash now faced a choice of soaring to new heights through his talents or remaining grounded forever in pursuit of something else.

* * *

 **A/N**

Soooooo, I hope our little trip into Ash's backstory didn't steer you away from this fic. Well, if it did you probably wouldn't be reading this, but that's beside the point. I know the tragic backstory is overused in just about all forms of character development, but give me a chance. I'm not saying mine is something special that is above all of the other people that have used this plot device, but to be honest I love a good tragic backstory. We'll get deeper into this topic in a later chapter, no spoilers for you guys.

As I'm sure you're beginning to realize, this isn't the typical 'world of Pokemon' that you might be accustomed to from the game/manga/anime. As I said, I'm aiming for a different take on it, so please bear with me as I try to set the floor for you all.

Once again, big shout out to MjrGenMatt for working alongside me on this chapter!

Notable characters from this chapter.

 **Fantina.** Ash's bilingual art teacher, better known as the Hearthome Gym Leader in the games and anime. I'm hoping to use her more in the future, but I'm uncertain at this point. I hope you enjoyed her part in this chapter though.

 **Macy.** If you recall, she made an appearance in the Silver Conference where she battled Ash. She was that little girl that loved fire types. Like if Ash is ten, she looked like she was four to me. So now she's four in this fic.

 **Casey.** I'm sure you must remember the girl that was obsessed with the Electabuzz baseball team in the anime during the Johto saga. She had a Chikorita that got humiliated by Ash's Charizard if that rings any bells.

 **Cassidy.** You might remember Cassidy, one of the members of Team Rocket. She and her partner Butch were basically the serious version of Jessie and James. Anyway, she's acting as Ash's foster mother, and we'll definitely be talking about her again in the future.

That's all for now, thanks for reading everyone! I hope to see you all again at the next installment.

 **UPDATE 3/18/19 -** Hello to those of you who made it this far, thank you very much for reading. It feels kind of weird to be writing this almost two years later, but its to help clarify some things and avoid confusion.

Up until chapter 21, I had been referring to Pokemon as 'it.' But as I developed this story, it started to feel impersonal to refer to them like that. So starting in chapter 21, I began to address Pokemon with gender pronouns. In the chapters preceding number 21, they are still referred to as 'it.' If you are a reader who reaches that point in the story, I just want you to know ahead of time to avoid any confusion as I said earlier.

I have since been going into the preceding chapters to address my usage of pronouns, but its something I do every now and then so there are a number of corrections I still have to make. Thank you for your patience, and enjoy the rest of the story from here. :D


	4. Breaking Curfew

**Chapter 4**

* * *

 **Tuesday, September 6th**

"Attention s _'il vous plait_!" Fantina called out to her classroom now that the bell had chimed, clapping her hands together. Her rather noisy first period class became quiet at her request as she took her place at the front of the room. "Today we will begin our first in-class assignment. I hope you all are as happy as I am."

Fantina beamed brightly at her class, glad that she had perfect attendance today. Ash was on time, for the first time actually, and she was eager to see how he would respond to their new assignment.

"We're going to draw portraits." Fantina announced. Some students voiced their displeasure by groaning while others did so verbally.

"Ugh, I hate self-portraits." May said out loud, already imagining what her own would look like. It wasn't pretty.

"Says the girl who can't stop looking at herself in the mirror." Dawn noted softly to May, shooting her a small smirk. May narrowed her eyes in response, causing Dawn to snicker.

"Not a self-portrait, but a portrait of one of your peers," Fantina explained to the brunette that sat at the front of the class with Dawn. "We will be drawing each other! You will be working in pairs, and I have already selected each pair, so I'll announce them for you all."

As Fantina began to read off her list, Dawn leaned into her seat and glanced at Ash in the back of the room. He was absorbed in yet another sketch. She pursed her lips as she looked at him, struggling to figure him out. He was in a long sleeved shirt once again today, probably hiding the injury he had from yesterday. She had anxiously been trying to get to know him a bit on Friday, but now she found herself hesitating a bit.

Seeing his demeanor change yesterday at the sight of his bleeding hand, and his refusal to tell Fantina what happened made him seem kind of scary. Was this someone that she really wanted to get involved with?

"Dawn Berlitz, and Ash Ketchum." Fantina called out, causing Dawn to whirl around to look at her teacher who was smiling brightly at her. Seeing May begin to rise from her seat out of the corner of her eye, Dawn looked toward her friend while wrinkling her forehead.

"Where are you going, May?" Dawn asked her as May gathered her belongings.

"Making room for Ash of course. This is your big chance you know." May replied to her, giving her a small wink. Dawn stared at her, rather dumbfounded though.

"For what?"

"To get to know him. It's so obvious that you want to." May stated, causing Dawn's cheeks to color slightly. Before she could protest though, May pointed to Ash as he approached them.

"Hey guys-err, girls." He began casually, giving them a small wave.

"Mornin' Ash, nice to see you," May said sweetly as she motioned to her now empty seat. "Have fun with Dawn, she's really pretty ya know, so make sure you draw her like that."

"Oh, uh yeah that shouldn't be a problem." Ash replied as May left them, joining her partner Oliver on the opposite side of the room. With a sigh Ash began to turn May's desk, making a face as the legs of the desk screeched against the floor. Once the desk was facing Dawn, he plopped down into the chair with a sigh.

"Don't mind May, she can be weird sometimes." Dawn said as she waved off May's earlier comment.

"That's no big deal." Ash replied before Fantina called for everyone's attention now that they all were sitting with their partners, having moved this desks to face one another.

"This assignment will be due this Friday morning. Use this time in class to get an understanding of your subject before you attempt to capture them on paper." Fantina explained, causing everyone to look at their partner. Ash looked toward Dawn, staring at her directly. Dawn straightened up in her seat, feeling her heartbeat speed up a bit now that she was under Ash's gaze, but she returned it. The two of them spent at least a minute or two just staring at one another, taking in every detail they could.

Finally, though, Ash broke eye contact and looked down at his sketchpad. Seeing Ash begin to draw now, Dawn blinked and realized that she hadn't even started yet either. Opening up her own sketchbook, she started her portrait of Ash.

Dawn began to scribble away on her paper, first drawing a figure to match the position Ash was seated in. She even drew the desk and sketchpad in front of him for good measure. As she began to work on some of the finer details though, Fantina began to clap her hands as the class period was coming to an end. She delicately reminded her students that she wanted her desks returned to their normal positions. Glancing up at the clock, Dawn couldn't believe that first period was almost over. That was the fastest it had ever gone for her.

"Whoa, dude did you just draw that?!"

Ash looked up at the two guys that had been seated behind him. As they had been moving their desks back they caught a glimpse of his sketch of Dawn, and now they had to get a closer look. It was a rough sketch, but with just a glance anyone could tell that it was Dawn he had drawn.

"Yeah." Ash said simply, gaining Dawn's attention. She focused on his sketchbook now and was impressed with what she saw.

"That's amazing!" They proclaimed.

Dawn bit down on her lower lip now that she had seen his sketch as well. There were still some details missing, but considering how much time they had this was quite an impressive result. Dawn glanced back down at her own sketch and realized that she had invested too much of her time on Ash's surroundings.

The bell rung and the other students flooded out the door. May rose from her seat, taking a glance at Ash and Dawn who began speaking with each other. She smiled a bit, hoping that Dawn was making the best of this opportunity.

* * *

Ash yawned audibly as he sat down beside Dawn on the bus, currently on route toward the east side of Vermilion City and Dawn's home.

Having completed his third day at North Vermilion High, Ash had established a bit of a routine during school hours. That routine revolved around spending his free periods in Fantina's classroom. This led to him spending an ample amount of time with his art instructor who had taken a deep interest in him following the events of the prior day. It was clear to him that she was trying to get to know him a little better, and he didn't mind her efforts, although he wished that she didn't make it so obvious. He answered most of her questions though because he was grateful for her help on Monday.

Spending his extra time in Fantina's room led to Ash discovering that Dawn spent almost all of her extra time there as well. She worked closely with Fantina on various personal projects, taking the guidance from Fantina to further her own progress. Ash admired her dedication to her work, not to mention he found Dawn to be pretty amusing, such as the conversation they had earlier today.

-X-X-

 _"Ash, um…would you mind, helping me home again today?" Dawn asked after approaching him during eighth period. Both of them had no classes during eighth and ninth period, so they both spent this time in Fantina's room to wrap up their day._

 _"Huh, how come?" Ash asked her in return, wrinkling his forehead._

 _"Well I've only taken the bus once now, that's why." She said rather softly, and Ash narrowed his gaze at her._

 _"Did you forget which bus we got on?" He asked her, and Dawn's cheeks became red. Ash knew immediately that he had hit the nail on the head._

 _"Uh…yeah." She admitted, looking away from him. Ash then realized that she might have been trying to hide this fact from him, and as much as he wanted to laugh a bit at her forgetfulness, he felt a little bad at how embarrassed she was. Then another thought occurred to him._

 _"Did you take the bus yesterday?" He asked her, and Dawn shook her head. "Then how did you get home?"_

 _Dawn sighed exasperatedly at this._

 _"I stayed after school and waited for my mom. She couldn't pick me up until five thirty." Dawn revealed to him. Ash felt a sudden pang of guilt in his chest as he recalled the events of Monday. When he had returned to school from the clinic, Dawn didn't speak to him too much outside of checking to see if he was okay. She might have needed help getting home but she may have been able to work up the nerve to approach him considering his attitude._

 _"Aww shoot, I'm sorry about that Dawn," Ash said as he palmed his forehead before grinning at her. "If I had half a brain I probably would've asked you if you had a ride home yesterday."_

 _"You don't have to apologize Ash." Dawn said with a small laugh, waving off his apology._

 _"Then let me make it up to you. I don't have to work this afternoon so I can show you a little more about the bus routes." Ash offered her, and she gladly accepted._

-X-X-

Now the two of them were sitting behind the seats they had used Friday on the bus. They had only been on the bus for about ten minutes now, but Ash was struggling to fight off his urge to sleep, nodding off his seat every now and then.

Seeing that Ash was unfocused due to his drowsiness, Dawn used this to her advantage. Whenever Ash drifted off for a few moments, Dawn would peek at him out of the corner of eyes, but immediately return her gaze to the window whenever he woke up. Soon enough though, Ash's eyes shut for good with his head tilted to the side. His unruly hair fell down in front of his face, his mouth opened just a bit.

Dawn swallowed a giggle as she now stared at him openly, taking in everything she could. His jet black hair that he seemed to pay no mind to since it was always a mess. With the sunlight coming through the window, she could faintly see the start of a mustache forming above his upper lip. On his cheeks, there some faded birthmarks, something that she had never paid much attention to until now.

Taking in these details, Dawn decided to fish her sketchbook out of her back, choosing to make the best of this opportunity.

* * *

 **Wednesday, September 7th**

Dawn sat across from Ash once again in their first period class, staring intently at him. Unlike the day before though, Ash wasn't really sitting still for her, although he didn't seem to have much control over the situation.

"Ash, what do you think of this?"

"Ash, would you check this out for me?"

"Ash, where should I go from here?"

Word had spread quickly around the class that Ash was an exceptional artist, and now a number of the other students were asking him for any tips to improve the portrait that they had started.

"Whoa guys, I'm sure Ms. Fantina would love to help you out. I mean, it is her job after all." Ash replied with a chuckle, scratching back of his neck.

"She's still helping May." One of them pointed in a deadpan. The group glanced over at Fantina who was assisting the brunette, working her through the basic aspects of starting a portrait. May had taken up a majority of Fantina's time the day before, and it seemed as though she would do the same today. Dawn swallowed her urge to laugh at this and kept a straight face as she stared at the group around Ash.

It seemed as though her classmates didn't realize that they were taking up all of Ash's time, and by extension, they were taking _her_ time as well. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Dawn found herself pouting a bit as well. No one had paid any attention to Ash up until yesterday, but clearly, word had spread that he was a great artist, and now he was suddenly the star of the classroom. Thankfully, Ash complied with their requests for a little guidance, and soon enough they returned to their seats.

Returning to their work now, Ash and Dawn worked in silence. The pencil Dawn held moved on its own as she glanced up at Ash occasionally. Her thoughts were prevailing despite her efforts to focus. Her mind drifted back to the portrait she had drawn of him on the bus yesterday. She liked it, but she wasn't sure if it was something that she would submit to Fantina. So now she was working tirelessly to draw Ash Ketchum again who oddly enough hadn't even looked up at her once since they began working.

Fantina clapped her hands once again, warning her students that first period would be ending soon, and she encouraged them to clean up. Dawn looked down at her sketch of Ash today and pursed her lips. He was hunched over his sketchbook today, but unfortunately, much of his face couldn't be seen. He hadn't looked up at Dawn at all, so she drew him with his head down. She didn't like that.

"Dawn, did you see this?" May exclaimed, snapping Dawn out of her thoughts. Blinking a few times, her vision came into focus and she saw that a group had gathered around Ash once again, and May was included this time.

"Dude, this one is even better than what Ash drew yesterday!"

"Are you serious?"

Dawn rose up a bit in her seat, peering over the table to see Ash's latest sketch of her that everyone was talking about. Just as her classmates had said, it was better than what he had drawn yesterday.

In the first attempt yesterday, Ash had drawn Dawn with a neutral expression, clearly focused on her work. Today, however, she was looking expectantly at her audience, arms crossed, lower lip poking out slightly, her frustration evident. Dawn couldn't believe it. Ash had perfectly drawn her while she was anxiously waiting for him to finish helping his peers. He had accomplished all this, and included more of the finer details than he had the day before!

"Guys, it's not that big a deal." Ash said to them as he closed his book and tucked it into his backpack.

"Come on Ash, that was awesome!" One of them exclaimed.

"If you're not happy with that, then I can't wait to see something you're proud of." May added.

Dawn chewed on her lower lip, hiding her shock. She understood that drawing a subject multiple times would improve your attention to detail concerning that subject. Essentially, she was supposed to be getting better at drawing Ash with each attempt. Yet she had made little progress in three attempts, while Ash had only drawn her twice and each of them was outstanding! This was the first time she had been outdone by someone so effortlessly.

She was determined now more than ever to produce something incredible, something that would knock Ash's socks off!

* * *

 **Friday, September 9th**

Fantina stood at the back of her room, where a bulletin board was mounted on the wall. Her students were hanging their portraits on it for the rest of their class to see. Rather than grade these all by herself, Fantina decided that the class would critique each other's work to see how they would determine their grades. She couldn't help but smile as she observed some of the work, taking in the varying levels of skill. Some of the portraits were excellent while others, not so much.

With all her students present, Fantina clapped her hands and motioned for them to gather in the back. Bringing their desk chairs, everyone was soon huddled around the bulletin board where Fantina briefly explained what they would be doing this class period.

"We will start in the uppermost left corner, and work our way across. So who do we have first?" Fantina said as she directed everyone's attention to their first portrait. It was of May actually. She was smiling brilliantly, giving everyone a peace sign. "Ah, very nice work monsieur Oliver."

"Heh, thanks Ms. Fantina." He replied with a grin before his classmates began to voice their thoughts, all of which were compliments.

"Yeah, it's really good!"

"I can totally tell that it was May you were drawing."

"I couldn't have done a better job myself." May said confidently, pleased that the portrait of her had come out so well. Dawn, on the other hand, stifled a laugh as she stole a glance at the portrait May had drawn of Oliver. She certainly could not have done a better job than Oliver.

"And next to Oliver's is…" Fantina trailed off as the rest of her class became silent. All eyes were on the portrait May had drawn, everyone was struggling to trace out a person in the mess. Some of them tilted their heads in an effort to find the person on the paper, but they were unsuccessful in their search.

"The heck is that?" One of the guys called out, earning a scoff from May.

"That's Oliver!" She stated indignantly.

" _That's_ Oliver!?" Another exclaimed before he burst into a fit of laughter.

"I thought it was a freakin' potato!" One of the guys proclaimed, causing the group around him to laugh loudly as well.

"Hey~! I did what I could!" May declared, recalling Fantina's suggestions as she shrunk in her seat, a bit embarrassed. She had done her best, but she didn't have an artistic bone in her body.

"Mademoiselle May was exploring a more impressionist piece. Rest assured though May, the effort is where it counts." Fantina reassured her before casting a sharp stare on the guys that were still laughing at May. "And for others that struggle to contain themselves, they will see a few marks on their participation grade."

"Yeah, I wouldn't be laughing too much since some of you need this elective to graduate." Dawn added as she shot a smirk at the group of guys. Their laughter stopped abruptly with this reminder, and May immediately used this opportunity to make a face at the group who could only bite their tongues to halt a response.

"Moving on…" Fantina said as she refocused the class, motioning to the bulletin board.

One by one, the class examined each portrait, bouncing thoughts and opinions off of one another as they studied each piece. Fantina was pleased that her class was very encouraging for the most part, her students sharing ways for each other to improve. The boys had even apologized to May later on after they had been humbled by Dawn as she critiqued the portraits they had done.

"Whoa!" There was a collective gasp from the class at the sight of the next portrait. In an instant, there was a unanimous agreement between all her students that his portrait was perfect. It was Ash, snoozing peacefully on a bus.

Dawn sat nervously in her seat, as the students began to discuss her piece. Even though they all liked it, Dawn was far from satisfied with it. In the four days she had to draw a portrait of Ash, she must have drawn him at least ten times, but she didn't like any of them. For whatever reason, it felt as though she was struggling to capture him. None of the sketches she had finished really felt like Ash Ketchum.

So she gave in and settled for the one that was a cut above the rest-the portrait she had drawn of Ash on the bus on Tuesday, which she had refined a bit the night before.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Dawn glanced back at Ash who was seated behind her.

"When did you draw that?" He whispered to her.

"Sorry, but that's a secret." Dawn replied, giving him a wink. Ash frowned a bit at this before he leaned back in his seat. His movement though caught Fantina's attention as she called on him.

"Monsieur Ash, you haven't spoken once yet. Will you give us the honor of critiquing the portrait of yourself?" Fantina requested, putting Ash on the spot. All eyes were on him now as everyone was eager to hear what he would say about Dawn's work.

"Well, obviously the person who drew it is skilled, but I feel like…it's kind of shallow." Ash stated, causing Fantina to raise her eyebrows.

"What do you mean by shallow?" May asked him curiously.

"Like…she didn't look too deeply into me. She caught a moment of me while I was asleep, but that doesn't feel like it's me. How do I know that's really Ash Ketchum? That could be anyone. I mean she only had four days to put this together, so I can't fault her for that." Ash added at the end. Fantina thanked him for his thoughts and announced that they would be moving on to the next portrait, the one everyone had been anxiously waiting to get to. Ash's masterpiece.

"Alright class, what do you have to say about this one?" Fantina asked, and the comments came down like a cascade.

"Ash is amazing!"

"Freakin' awesome!"

"Just give him an A+ and we can call it a day!"

"Draw me next Ash!" May almost demanded, causing everyone to laugh while others made the same request.

All the sketches the class had seen Ash work on during the week couldn't compare to the finished product that was on display. This time he had drawn Dawn working on a sketch, but this time she was outside, seated on a hill. Her sketchpad was resting on her lap with a pencil in hand, nibbling softly on the eraser. Her other hand was behind her neck, throwing back some of her hair as she stared intently at her sketchpad. You could see how anxious she was in her expression as she struggled with her work, probably her portrait of Ash.

'His work with a pencil is absolutely incredible.' Fantina said to herself as she observed the layered shading Ash had used so accurately.

Dawn sighed inwardly as she stared at Ash's work yet again. It was bad enough that he had completely outdone her just from the standpoint of skill, but then he rubbed salt in her open wounds with his comments about her piece.

 _"That doesn't feel like it's me. How do I know that's really Ash Ketchum? That could be anyone. I mean she only had four days to put this together, so I can't fault her for that."_

Not only was his portrait better, but everyone could see without a doubt that it captured the very essence of Dawn Berlitz. She was known as a hard worker, and there she was, wrapped up in her work, the evidence of struggle written all over her face as she fought with another sketch of Ash. Without a doubt now, Dawn had to admit that Ash was amazing.

* * *

This was the third time this week Ash had accompanied Dawn home via the bus. He didn't really mind though since Dawn was becoming good company, and it beat sharing his seat with a stranger. For Dawn though, Ash was no longer just her escort so to speak. As of today, they had known each other for a week, and she was just filled with questions about her new friend.

"So um, Ash, can you tell me what you meant when you said my portrait was shallow?" Dawn asked him, breaking the silence between them. Dawn wasn't offended or hurt by the comment, but now she wanted an explanation.

"I'm just going to tell you what I said in class. You could draw anyone like that and call it a portrait, but you didn't find the inner person. Like I said though, you only had four days and you barely know me, so it's no big deal." Ash explained to her.

"No, it _is_ a big deal. You had the same amount of time as me and drew like half the amount of sketches I did, but all of them were better than mine. I want to know how you did that so easily." Dawn stated, refusing to let Ash end the conversation.

Ash remained silent for a few moments, then he lowered his shoulders with a sigh knowing that Dawn would pester him until he answered.

"Do you remember last week, you asked me to look at some of your work and I said that it wasn't really mature yet?" Ash asked her, receiving a nod. "Well, that still applies. I mean this in the nicest way possible, but your art seems to take everything at face value like you're still a kid. You can't capture me because you haven't seen or experienced enough of me."

"But I could say the same thing to you. We've only known each other for a week." Dawn pointed out.

"There are still some distinct differences between us Dawn. I work and hang around very passionate people. I'm used to seeing people chase something ambitiously. So it's easy to capture you when you're doing the same thing." Ash explained to her. "I don't know about your upbringing, but based on how you draw, I think it's safe to say that you don't go out very often."

Dawn wanted to respond, but she had didn't have anything to say. He was right about her. She didn't go out. It was very rare that she hung out with her friends now that she thought about it, and she had just spent her entire summer vacation in her room sketching. Perhaps that wasn't the best choice she could have made.

"So then, what can I do?" Dawn asked him after a few moments. Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"Go out. Do stuff. See the world through your own eyes, and not through your phone or computer. Those pictures you see can't compare to the real thing, you have to experience them yourself." Ash stated, but this caused Dawn to look down now. She barely got out to begin with. Where was she going to go?

"I don't know Ash." She said softly. Sensing that Dawn lacked direction at the moment, Ash decided that he would give her a hand.

"I'll tell you what. Tonight, I was going to meet up with some friends of mine. Do you want to come along?" Ash offered and Dawn lit up immediately.

"Yes please!" She declared with starry eyes.

"Alright, I'll drop by around ten o'clock to pick you up." Ash said, causing the smile to drop from Dawn's face.

"Ten o'clock, that's my curfew." She revealed with a frown.

"Sheesh, ten o'clock. You're going to have to sneak out. It can't be that hard to sneak out of a house that's as big as yours." Ash said with a smirk. Dawn nudged him with her elbow in response.

"I'll see what I can do." Dawn said as she took out her phone for them to exchange numbers.

* * *

All was well in the Berlitz estate, allowing Johanna to sit back in her small den with a book on her lap. Reaching over the lap on the table beside her, she turned the switch and opened up the novel she had started reading earlier this week. She was eager to see whether the female protagonist would declare her feelings to the love interest, but as always things like this were drawn out.

Reading was one of Johanna's biggest hobbies. She loved to read, and she had hoped that this would rub off onto her daughter. Unfortunately, despite her best efforts to impress the value of reading onto Dawn while she was young, the girl stubbornly pursued her interest in design. Johanna was content with Dawn's interests though, especially since her daughter worked so hard. She was certain that with the amount of time Dawn spent practicing, her goal of becoming a designer would be her reality in no time.

"Good night mom!" Dawn called out as she poked her head into Johanna's den.

"Good night sweetie!" Johanna replied. "I won't be here tomorrow morning, so make sure you ask Darach for breakfast."

"Sure thing." Dawn said before she left.

Traveling down the corridor, Dawn reached the end of it where the entrance to her room was located. Entering, her eyes were drawn to the clock on the wall for her to check the time.

'I've got forty minutes, time to get changed.' Dawn said to herself softly as she quickly stripped out of her pajamas and began rummaging through her closet for something to wear. Ash had texted her earlier saying he would meet her at the entrance to Diglett's Boulevard, but he hadn't mentioned where they were going, so Dawn had no idea how she should be dressed.

Eventually, she settled on a lengthy dark blue halter top and a pair of black jeans. Grabbing a sweater since it was a bit cooler at night, Dawn fluffed her hair a bit but decided not to do anything special for the sake of time. Now standing in front of the window of her room, Dawn gulped audibly. This was the first time she had ever tried to sneak out or do anything after her curfew.

This was to take her next step as an artist though. She had to do this is if she expected to keep improving.

Raising the window slowly, Dawn climbed out of it and stepped out onto the awning above her back porch. Leaving her window unlocked, Dawn then lowered it down softly until it was barely closed, not even making a sound. Slowly stepping across the awning now, Dawn arrived at the edge of it where she looked down at the drop to the porch below. It wasn't a big drop; about eight feet and she had left some of the cushions from their deck chairs where she would be landing to soften it.

Jumping down, her landing was silent much to her delight since she was now free. Glancing across the porch, Dawn spotted the stool that she had brought outside for her to climb back on top of the awning. Everything was perfect!

Even though Dawn had never broken curfew, the thought of sneaking out had crossed her mind a _few_ times. She had everything well thought out for when that day would arrive, and now she had executed her plan perfectly. Taking the stool from the porch now, Dawn brought it down with her to the wall that bordered her family's property and used it as a boost to get on top of the wall. In the present darkness, she could barely be seen as she traveled down to the front of their property where the gate to their driveway was located.

With a grunt Dawn mustered all her strength to hang from the wall momentarily before she dropped down, barely keeping her balance when her feet hit the ground.

'I made it!' She exclaimed mentally as she glanced around. She was now standing on the sidewalk just outside of her home, eager to see where this night would take her.

Heading down Diglett's Boulevard, Dawn pulled out her phone to check the time once again. She had fifteen minutes to reach the end of her street, so she set a brisk pace to make sure she was there on time. Sending out a message to Ash saying that she would be waiting for him at the bus stop, Dawn was shocked to see a response from him claiming that he was already waiting for her. Speeding up her pace, Dawn quickly soon reached the entrance to her street. Waiting for her under the street light was Ash, but he was seated on the hood of a silver car.

"Right on time." He noted as she approached him, her mouth agape.

"I thought you said you couldn't drive?" Dawn reminded him as he hopped off the hood of the car and climbed into the driver's seat.

"I never said I couldn't drive Dawn. I said I don't have a car." Ash replied as he tapped the passenger seat as a gesture for her to get in.

As Dawn got into the car and pulled her seatbelt across her torso, Ash retrieved his wallet in order to show her his driver's license.

"So then, whose car is this?" Dawn asked him.

"It's my friend's. He let me borrow it to come pick you up." Ash explained. "I don't want to keep him waiting any longer though."

He stepped on the accelerator, and the car surged forward.

* * *

Dawn watched as the street lights raced by above them. Ash drove at a moderate pace that Dawn was comfortable with, especially since the expressway was packed out with people trying to get across town on a Friday night. Soon enough Ash got off on one of the exits and made a right turn onto the streets of downtown Vermilion City.

"Where are we going, Ash?" Dawn asked him curiously. They had been driving for about twenty minutes, and Dawn didn't have the slightest idea where they were headed.

"We're headed for the train station downtown." Ash explained to her.

"What's going on there?" Dawn asked, furrowing her brow.

"You'll see in about five minutes." Ash replied as they drove through the dense urban jungle. Glancing out her window, Dawn noticed that the streets were practically empty. There were a few cars out, and the sidewalks were pretty bare. Vermilion City was known for its nightlife, so seeing the streets like this certainly gave it an ominous feeling.

"Where is everyone?" She asked now, getting a snort from Ash.

"Relax Dawn, you'll see when we get there." Ash stated again, causing Dawn to huff as she leaned back into her seat. Why was everything a surprise all of a sudden? Weren't they going to hang out with some of his friends?

Ash turned off onto one of the side streets where Dawn quickly spotted a huge parking lot in front of a train station. The lot was filled to capacity. Finding an empty spot would be quite a challenge.

"Where did I leave him?" Ash asked out loud as he spent a minute driving through the rows of cars before he arrived at the parking spot he had been searching for. There was a guy standing there with a pair of large headphones covering his ears. His back was turned to them as he moved his head to the beat of the song he was listening to. Ash gave him a few moments, waiting to see if the guy would notice that the headlights that were directed at him. This person remained ignorant though, so Ash grew impatient and honked the horn at him.

"Ahh!" He shouted, whirling around to spot Ash hanging out of the window of the driver's side with a wide grin on his face. "What the hell Ash!?"

Dawn watched curiously as the mystery guy stepped out of the parking spot, allowing Ash to pull in.

"Alright Dawn, we're here." Ash said as he opened up his door, stepping out of the car. Dawn nodded and did the same, discovering that the same guy was now inspecting his car closely.

"You didn't get any scratches on it, did you? No bumps, dents, nothing right? I had better not find anything, especially after that little stunt you just pulled. You know this car is my babe magnet!" The guy proclaimed, not even allowing Ash to respond to any of his questions.

"Your car is fine Brock, geez." Ash groaned as he stood by the trunk of the car, inviting Dawn to join him there.

"I hope so, or I'll come find you," Brock added before he perked up at the sight of the girl that was accompanying Ash. "And who do we have here?"

"Right, Brock, this is the guest I said I was bringing tonight." Ash began.

"Ash, you're basically a guest tonight. This is the first time you've dropped by to see us in ages." Brock interjected, getting a narrow stare from Ash.

"As I was saying, this is Dawn. Dawn, this guy here is Brock." Ash said as he introduced the two of them.

"It's nice to meet you." Dawn said as she extended a hand toward him. Brock tilted his head a bit before he grabbed her hand by the thumb with an audible clap, surprising her. She had seen guy greet each other like that, but she had never shaken hands like this before. Brock then released her hand and closed his own into a fist, waiting for her to bump fists with him. Dawn smiled a bit, remembering that Ash had done this to her on their first day of school. Happily, she bumped fists, and Brock smiled at her.

"She's alright in my book, a bit stiff though," Brock commented. "So you're here to watch us tonight?"

"I don't even know. Ash hasn't told me anything yet." Dawn replied as Brock motioned for them to follow him.

"That sounds like Ash alright, trying to make everything sound like some big secret. So I'll go ahead and spoil it for you." Brock said as they made their way over to the entrance of the train station. "I'm sure you know that Vermilion City has produced some fantastic performers, right?"

Dawn nodded immediately. She knew that Vermilion City was a place where talented people launched all sorts of careers. Performing was no exception.

"Well, once a year a festival is held underground where a lot of the up and coming people gather to show off for one night. It's an open invitation for anyone to come, and they're expecting a huge turnout this year. So they organized a little something special for the dance crews that are going to be here tonight." Brock explained as Dawn became starry-eyed.

"We're going to be watching some dances tonight? Awesome!" She exclaimed.

"Not we, just you an Ash." Brock pointed out.

"Huh?"

"I'm part of a crew, and Ash _was_ in the same crew, although he hasn't been coming by lately." Brock revealed as they arrived at the grand entrance to the train station.

"You guys are dancers?!" She asked them. She was shocked. Dawn never would've thought that Ash would be someone who liked to dance.

"I was nothing special Dawn, plus I haven't practiced with them recently so I'm pretty rusty." Ash admitted as they continued into the station. The lobby was large, but Ash and Brock were more focused on the wide staircase at the back of the lobby which they quickly went to.

"The point is, some of the best dancers in town are here tonight, so you're in for a treat." Brock clarified, causing Dawn to take a peek at Ash. He had said that he was accustomed to seeing people that were passionate about their work. This hand to be what he wanted her to see.

"So then, why is this party being held in a train station?" Dawn asked curiously as they arrived at the bottom of the staircase, entering a short corridor with a freight elevator at the end of it. There was a tall guy dressed in black standing at the entrance to the elevator, his arms crossed and his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

"To be honest, the train station is a cover. There's this station above ground and an abandoned subway station beneath it. That's where we're going." Brock explained to her as they arrived at the elevator. The guy that was guarding the elevator recognized Brock and greeted him the same way he had greeted Dawn. They clapped their hands together before the guard hit the button to call for the elevator. The elevator opened up, and the trio stepped in and Brock gave the guard a two finger salute as the door shut.

"He's a nice guy." Brock said as he glanced at Dawn who seemed to be a bit nervous. Looking toward Ash, Brock motioned toward Dawn with his head causing Ash to look at her.

"There's nothing to worry about Dawn. Everyone is here to have a good time." Ash assured her, and Brock gave a nod of agreement. Dawn smiled a bit in response as they descended into the subway station, but she still felt a little uncertain. She had never done anything like this, so she had no idea what to expect.

Blinking a few times, Dawn picked up on the first thing she would experience tonight. Very loud music. The elevator was sealed off, but she could still hear the bass pumping.

"Oh man, I love this song!" Brock exclaimed as he clapped his hand, beginning to groove in place. Ash could only roll his eyes at Brock before the elevator came to a stop. The doors parted and Dawn heard the full volume of the music that blasting through the subway station. It was deafening!

Stepping out, Dawn looked around with wide eyes at the station that had been decorated and lit up by a variety of colorful lights. Speakers were set up everywhere, blasting music for everyone to enjoy as small groups danced where they stood. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Dawn turned to see Ash motioning for her to follow him and Brock. They were leaving the main lobby of the subway station.

Leaving the lobby where the source of the music was located, things grew quieter as Ash and Brock took over to the turnstiles. The two of them jumped right over them, and then helped Dawn over since she was having a hard time. From there they entered a staircase that led down to the platforms that the train used to stop at. It was much quieter down here, and Dawn was thankful for that. She could barely hear herself think back there.

"What do you think so far?" Ash asked her as they followed Brock down the stairway.

"Uh, it's really loud?" Dawn answered weakly, but Ash laughed at this. It was an obvious answer, but he didn't seem to care.

"We're back!" Brock shouted as he arrived at the base of the staircase, garnering the attention of the group that had been waiting for them.

"Well, it's about time!" A voice boomed in reply. A large fella with dark hair approached the trio, skipping right past Brock and heading straight to Ash.

"Tierno, long time no see!" Ash exclaimed as the two of them clasped their hands together by the thumbs.

"What have you been up to?" He asked before his gaze settled on Dawn. Then he grinned at Ash. "Never mind, I think I've got a good idea."

"It's not like that Tierno." Ash groaned with a sigh, causing his friend to chuckle.

"What's your name?" Tierno asked, extending a hand toward Dawn.

"I'm Dawn, nice to meet you." She said sweetly. Tierno had taken Dawn's hand gingerly, unlike Brock, and she was smiled warmly at him for this.

"Was that Ash I heard?" Another voice asked. Dawn poked her head out to see around Tierno's large frame, and she was shocked to see a group of people rushing over to them. Before she knew it, Dawn found herself on the outside looking in. Ash had been swarmed by the group, and now he stood in the middle of them all trying to answer their questions.

Dawn frowned a bit, watching as Ash conversed with these people. He was making faces that she had never seen him make before. Ash had always been kind of reserved around her, but now he was being so expressive with this group of people.

"I take it this is the first time you're really seeing Ash Ketchum, huh?" Brock asked Dawn, standing beside her.

"It seems like it. I haven't known him for long, but it's like I'm looking at a different person right now." Dawn said as she watched Ash burst into a fit of laughter at a comment from one of his friends. He seemed almost… _brighter_ now.

"It was like that when I first met him too. Once you really get to know him…you'll see." Brock said as Ash managed to reign in everyone before motioning for them to go meet Dawn.

"So Dawn, this is…everyone." Ash said he motioned to the group who were practically on top of each other as they tried to get a look at Dawn.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Shauna!" A bubbly brunette exclaimed, jumping out in front of the group.

"You can call me a Trevor!" A short red haired guy said as he raised his camera, taking a quick snapshot of Dawn.

"My name is Valerie, it's a pleasure to meet you." A young woman with long silky black hair said next.

"I'll keep it short, sweet and to the point. I'm Miette." A blue haired girl said, getting a sigh from the remaining girl that hadn't spoken yet.

"That was the longest intro Miette," She stated before giving Dawn a warm smile. "Hi, I'm Serena."

"And you've met me already, but a reminder never hurts," Tierno said as he tapped his chest. "Tierno!"

"Hey everyone, I'm Dawn, it's so nice to meet all of you." Dawn said happily. They were quite an interesting group that's for sure.

Brock and Ash separated themselves from the group as they began to bombard Dawn with questions. This gave them some space to speak privately.

"So what did you bring her for?" Brock asked him as he observed Dawn.

There was a moment of silence as Ash took some time to watch Dawn speak.

"She reminds me of myself. She knows what she wants to do, but she's not quite there yet." Ash explained to Brock. "I feel like she just needed a little nudge to start moving forward. So I thought I might try and give her that little push."

"Stop with all of that crap Ash. If you like her, just ask her out." Brock said to him.

"She's here with me now, isn't she?" Ash shot back at him. "And by the way, where's _your_ date, Brock?"

Ash stared at Brock, waiting for an answer. He knew that Brock struggled when it came to his love life, and Ash rarely passed on an opportunity to tease him about it. Brock could only mumble a few words under his breath, causing Ash to grin.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." Ash said, placing a hand to his ear.

"That doesn't matter," Brock said sharply, deciding to change the subject. "I've got some news for you anyway."

"What kind of news?" Ash asked, curious since Brock had become completely serious.

"One of the Five Kings is going to be here tonight." Brock revealed, immediately gaining Ash's full attention now.

"No way, who?" Ash practically demanded to know.

"The King of the White Lotus. They call him N." Brock revealed, causing an anxious smile to form on Ash's face. "I hope you're not planning to challenge him."

"I didn't bring Pikachu tonight so I can't, but I've been dying to see one of the Five Kings. How did you know he'd be here?" Ash inquired.

"I have my sources," Brock replied rather smugly. "I've heard that he's going to battle a circuit trainer since there's no chance of the police discovering this. Here's a chance to see him in action."

"Awesome." Was all Ash could see at the prospect of witnessing a Pokemon battle.

* * *

 **A/N**

So here's chapter four, and I'd like to say that this chapter and the next go hand in hand, and they basically wrap up me developing this AU. I don't want to give out any spoilers because the next chapter is BIG, so I won't say much this time around.

Notable Characters

Brock. Of course, this fella had to make an appearance. Brock was one of my personal favorites, going way-way back to the Indigo Saga in the anime. You'll be seeing him more in the future along with his usual antics. Hopefully, I can nail his lines like he does in the anime.

Serena. After watching XY&Z, Serena really grew on me. I don't want to reveal much about her at the moment, but I have a few plans for her character that I can't wait to get to.

Miette. She came hand in hand with Serena. Their little rivalry and talks I enjoyed, and I see Miette as the down to earth, hard-nosed kind of person to contrast Serena.

Tierno. I really liked this big guy and his whole style that he rolled with in the anime. Not to mention he got one of my favorite starter Pokemon in Squirtle in the anime.

Shauna. I have some plans for Shauna already that you'll see within the next few chapters, and you'll be seeing her quite a bit with this group of people here.

Trevor. Having both Tierno and Shauna, I couldn't leave Trevor out. And with his interest in photography, I have quite a few ideas for him.

Valerie. Keeping with the theme I've had for a lot of the characters I've brought in, some of the interests they had outside of Pokemon will be more prevalent in this story. Valerie is into fashion, and you'll be seeing more of that in the future.

Thank you all for reading once again, and I hope to see all again! Once again, shout out to MjrGenMatt his continued support!


	5. Pokemon Master?

**Chapter 5**

* * *

"So um, Serena right?" Dawn asked, receiving the attention of the brunette who gave her a nod for using the correct name.

"Yup, you got it." She said cheerily, and Shauna added a nod of agreement.

"Are you guys really going to dance in front of all those people?" Dawn exclaimed, recalling the number of people she had seen back in the lobby.

"No doubt!" Shauna stated, snapping her fingers.

"It feels great performing in front of so many people." Serena added confidently. Dawn looked at them with great admiration now, impressed that they were actually excited to perform in front of so many people. Dawn couldn't imagine herself doing something like that.

In fact, Dawn was still struggling to believe that she had actually snuck out of her house past curfew, and was now located in an abandoned subway station downtown. She had come out with Ash's invitation and the promise that she would experience something new tonight, and all of this was definitely new to her.

Ash had introduced her to a group of people that he was well acquainted with, all of which were very happy to meet her. There were seven of them in total that made up Brock's crew, not counting Ash. Brock, Serena, Tierno, Shauna, and Miette were the performers who got out on stage. Trevor and Valerie worked behind the scenes, working hard to make sure that this group of five always looked fantastic while at work.

Trevor was in charge of publicity to try and get their name out there, but he also recorded their practice sessions so that they could look back at the choreography and see what they could work on. Valerie was their designer, responsible for their uniforms, and she acted as an aide to Trevor when he needed a hand. It was incredible to see all of them working so hard now.

"So do you guys have a focus to your dance?" Dawn asked curiously, and Shauna beamed at this.

"We've been dancing together for like two years, so we've studied all kinds of different styles and forms," Shauna explained as she motioned to Miette and Brock who were practicing a few steps together in front of Ash. "Brock and Miette had good footwork, like _really_ good footwork, so they specialize in stepping."

She then pointed to Tierno who was chatting with Ash at the moment.

"Tierno, believe it or not, is an amazing breakdancer." Shauna continued, and Dawn's eyes widened at this. Tierno was a big fella, she found it hard to believe that he was a break dancer. "Yeah, we couldn't believe it either. He's really light on his feet and his balance is good too."

Then Shauna motioned to Serena who had been standing with them.

"And Serena here is our jack of all trades. She did gymnastics and ballet in high school, so she's got the skills to pay the bills!" Shauna declared, causing Serena to blush coyly.

"Shauna, you're too much." Serena replied, motioning for her friend to keep it down, but the damage had already been done at the mention of 'gymnastics.' Miette practically darted over to them, leaving Ash and Brock to stare at her oddly.

"I hope you're not talking about sectionals again." Miette stated sharply as she looked at them.

"No, we weren't." Serena said exasperatedly.

"Let's keep it that way." Miette added, causing Serena to stick her tongue out at her.

"I just wanted to know if you guys all met through dancing." Dawn explained to her, and Miette focused on her fellow bluenette now.

"You could say that. We all met through Brock really because he was forming a dance squad." Miette explained, receiving a nod from Dawn. "So Dawn, do mind if I ask where you met Ash?"

"Not at all. We go to school together." Dawn replied. "In fact, he saved my life when we first met."

"No way, really?" Miette exclaimed.

"Yeah. I would've been hit by a car if he didn't push me out the way." Dawn admitted, leaving their mouths agape. Dawn laughed a bit at their expressions before recalling the day Ash had saved her. It was only a week ago, but so much had stemmed from the first time they had met. Obviously, Dawn wasn't in the hospital and she was grateful for that, but her budding friendship with Ash also had her trying new things.

"That's incredible," Miette noted, being the first to regain her composure. Then she gave Dawn a sly glance, a smirk forming on her face. "So…do you like him?"

"Miette!" Serena exclaimed, shocked that Miette could just to such a question so suddenly. "You don't have to answer that Dawn, just ignore her."

Dawn watched as Serena grabbed Miette by the wrist and dragged her away, leaving Dawn to take a glance at Ash was who was still talking to Brock. Did she like Ash Ketchum? She didn't know the answer.

Tierno sighed heavily as he dropped down beside Trevor and Valerie as they focused on Trevor's laptop.

"What's the matter, Tierno?" Valerie asked, noticing that his mood was on the downside.

"I don't get it, what does Ash have that I don't have?" Tierno asked them, causing Valerie to furrow her brow.

"What are you talking about?" Trevor asked him in return.

"Ash shows up and almost all the girls in our group are practically glued to him," Tierno explained as he looked at Ash who had been approached by Shauna and Dawn now. Everyone was talking to Ash. "I want some attention."

Valerie couldn't help but giggle at Tierno as he whined, while Trevor placed a hand on his friend's shoulder to console him.

"Don't worry big guy, the right girl will come along for you. And you'll know she's right because she'll come straight to you." Trevor pointed out to him. Tierno looked up at him, his eyes brightening up.

"Really? You think so?"

"I know so."

"Aww, thanks, man!" Tierno said as they bumped fists. He then rose up, heading over to the other group to strike up some conversation.

"Wow Trevor, it's like you always know what to say to cheer him up," Valerie noted. "I wish I could speak to him so calmly."

Trevor furrowed his brow for a moment as he glanced at Valerie. She was watching Tierno as he approached Dawn to speak to her, a small frown on her face.

"Wait, you don't…? Never mind." Trevor said, shaking his head for a moment. Returning his focus to the laptop in front of him, he found the soundtrack he had been searching for. "Hey Brock, I found it!"

Brock whistled, calling the whole group together around Trevor as he retrieved a small pair of speakers from the messenger bag beside him, hooking it up to his laptop.

"Alright, so since Ash decided to grace us with his presence tonight, I figured this might be a good chance to do something we haven't done in a while." Brock announced to the group, pointing toward Trevor. The redhead clicked a few times on his laptop, turning the volume all the way up as the music began. A beat began, which immediately caught everyone's attention as they began to move their heads in sync with it.

Brock then raised his hands, clapping three times to the beat. On the next set, everyone but Dawn clapped their hands together.

"Oh my gosh, we haven't done this in forever!" Shauna exclaimed as Trevor set down his laptop, now taking out his camera as the fun began.

With the exception of Dawn, they all gathered together to form a circle, grooving to the beat.

"So who's going to start us off?!" Brock called out, looking around at his friends.

"Gimme some space people, Tierno's going to work!" Tierno hollered as he slid into the center of the circle, taking a moment to match his movements to beat of the song.

Dawn stared at the group, watching them as they all bounced in place, watching Tierno put on a small performance at the center of the circle. Trevor was the only person on the outside of the circle, taking pictures of the group from various angles before he noticed that Dawn hadn't joined them. Raising his hand, he motioned for her to come over.

"Obviously you haven't been to any of our practice sessions, but this was an old kind of…tradition we'd do before a show." Trevor explained to her. "Brock came up with it. It's to loosen everyone up and have some fun before we go on."

Looking around at the group, Dawn couldn't deny that it looked like they were having fun.

"Hah!" Tierno shouted as he spun around on his shoulders and his upper back, performing a windmill to the delight of his friends. Once he came to a stop, Tierno jumped to his feet and struck a pose for everyone who then laughed.

"Alright Tierno, stop hogging the spotlight!" Shauna called out as she jumped in the middle now, bumping Tierno with her hip. Shooting her a grin, he backed out of the circle as Shauna now took her turn. Shauna didn't waste a moment as she went straight to her acrobatics, performing handstands and contorting herself causing her friends to express their admiration.

As this continued, each of them took a turn dancing in the middle, from Miette showing off some fancy footwork, to Brock performing a double backflip. Even Valerie and Trevor took a turn, and while neither of them couldn't compare to the actual dancers in this group, that didn't stop anyone from hollering and hooting as they danced.

Dawn was a deep shade of red as she stepped out of the middle with a sigh of relief. Even though she was a first-timer, they didn't let her get away from dancing in the middle. The only time Dawn ever danced was in the privacy of her own room, so she was embarrassed to dance in front of them, but all of them cheered for her as she moved and it helped Dawn relax a bit. Now that the bluenette had danced, only two people remained who had yet to dance on their little stage.

Ash and Serena.

Everyone took note that Ash hadn't danced yet, beginning to call for him to take the stage. Taking a breath, Ash stepped into the middle much to the delight of his friends, but then he extended a hand toward Serena. She raised her eyebrows, a bit surprised by his gesture, but he beckoned for her to join him.

Taking his hand, Ash grinned at Serena who quickly knew what was about to happen next. Giving her a small pull, Ash whipped her past him, fully extended his arm as this brought her to an immediate stop. Serena then stretched out her free arm, motioning for everyone to give them some space.

"Oh, someone's planning to show off!" Brock hollered as everyone moved back a few steps.

Dawn's jaw almost hit the floor at the sight of Ash beginning to move with Serena now. Pulling her close, Serena spun, allowing him to catch her in his remaining arm where she leaned into his embrace. They shared a glance before separating, beginning to walk in a circle as they eyed one another. Serena raised one hand above her head and extended the other toward Ash who took it gracefully and pulled her close once again. They then began then to move together, earning shouts of praise from their surrounding audience.

It was breathtaking, watching the two of them as they demonstrated their agility and cohesiveness as they moved. Dawn felt her chest tighten at the sight of Ash and Serena so close together, smiling at each other. Even though Dawn had never paid much attention to people as they danced, she could sense a connection between Ash and Serena. They moved so freely around each other, even though Ash claimed to be out of practice. There was something…deeper here.

Ash and Serena turned their audience, striking a pose as the song struck its final beat. They all burst into applause for the duo who took a bow together.

"Yo, what happened to, ' _I'm rusty_?'" Brock asked, mimicking Ash's statement earlier in a whiny voice as he slapped Ash on the back.

"Heh, maybe I'm not as bad as I thought." Ash replied with a chuckle.

Snapping one last picture, Trevor then glanced at his wristwatch.

"Hey guys, it's almost time for the show to get started!" Trevor called out to the group. But his little announcement was quickly overshadowed by a roar from the lobby of the station that echoed to the platform they had been on. That was the signal for the start of tonight's event. The already booming music seemed to jump to a new level as the crowd in the lobby began to cheer.

"That's our cue people, let's get moving!" Brock said, clapping his hands repeatedly. "Bring it in, bring it in!"

All of them gathered in a huddle as if they were playing football, clapping with Brock.

"Alright guys, we got this!" Tierno roared as they put their hands out, one on top of the other. Brock topped it off by tapping it with his fist before raising his hand, earning a shout from the rest of them.

"Let's go~!" Shauna declared as she took the lead, heading back to the lobby followed by everyone else. Ash and Dawn brought up the rear of the group, allowing them to speak.

"Are you ready for this?" Ash asked her as they trailed behind.

"I don't really know what to expect at this point," Dawn admitted with a small chuckle. "Your friends are amazing though. I can't wait to see them!"

"You haven't seen anything yet. Just wait until they're on stage." Ash replied with a smile as he glanced up at the group ahead of them. All of them were noisily discussing their routine one last time.

Returning to the lobby, Dawn was amazed to see how much the scene had changed compared to when she had first arrived. All of the lights had been adjusted, now focusing on a stage that had been set up at the center of the lobby. The crowd that had been spread out throughout the lobby now surrounded the stage, shouting and clapping as two dance teams took turns showing off their routines.

"Wait, why are there two separate groups on stage?" Dawn asked Ash after tugging on his shirt.

"Oh, it's a dance battle." He replied.

"Dance battle?" Dawn repeated.

"Just watch. I think you'll like it." Ash said as he nodded toward the stage. Even with the large audience, the stage was tall enough for anyone from any distance to see what was taking place, allowing Dawn to observe intently.

One of the groups seemed to back off the stage, allowing the other team to take full control of the stage as they began to dance together. Dawn was impressed, to say the least. Everything was well rehearsed, and everyone was coordinated and moving in unison. Yet, as she spent a few moments focusing on each dancer, she could see that they each had their own style, a little twist that they put on their moves that only added to the whole picture.

"Aye, that was just the first battle we have tonight people!" The MC shouted as he now took the stage following the end of the first dance battle. "Next up we got the Cipher Squad and the Jive Steppers!"

"Jive Steppers!?" Miette exclaimed as their group of five got onto the stage. "We don't even have a name, who came up with that?"

"We needed a name to register. Tierno gave it to me." Brock answered.

"And that explains that." Miette muttered as she glanced at Tierno. The big fella only gave her a grin and a peace sign in response, causing her to sigh. As lame as the name was, it was impossible to be upset with him.

Ash and Dawn squeezed through the crowd, getting as close the stage as they could. Brock, Miette, Tierno, Serena, and Shauna now stood together, staring intently at their opponents across the stage. It was a group of six guys, who were talking amongst themselves and occasionally motioning to the three girls on the opposing team.

"Don't get psyched out guys, we're going to own this stage." Brock stated as he looked over at the DJ who was behind his electronic turntables. A heavy beat dropped, marking the beginning of the battle. Serena, Shauna, and Miette started things off as they glided out to the center of the stage, moving as a unit.

Ash smiled confidently as they danced, showing off some crisp and sharp movements, rotating so that each of them had a few moments at the center of the stage. Reaching the end of their short routine, Serena now stood at the front of their small team; she leaped into the air and twirled several times. Landing softly on her hands and feet, Serena quickly shifted her weight to her hands and kicked out her legs to the side momentarily, holding her body parallel to the ground.

Clicking her heels together while she was in this position, Serena then put one foot on the ground and returned to an upright position. Stealing a glance back at Miette and Shauna, Serena saw that they were waiting on the edge of the stage for her, exactly where they needed to be. Lowering herself, Serena then went back onto her hands, and then to her feet to gain some momentum. Back on her feet once again, she gathered herself and jumped hard, performing a backflip. While she was airborne, Miette slid out on her knees from underneath Serena who landed behind her now. Shauna placed a hand out to steady Serena, and they struck a pose together. Miette extended a hand toward the opposing group, mouthing for them to 'bring it'.

As the girls began to back off the stage now, the guys on the other team were ready to answer Miette's challenge immediately as they took the stage, practically jumping the girls as they backed away. Miette was caught off guard as one guy, in particular, had darted toward her before she had gotten off the stage. He was lacking a shirt, but he wore a pair of baggy pants, a cap that read 'Chad' in capital letters and an arrogant smirk as he stood in front of Miette now. Raising his hands, he gave Miette a shove, throwing her back to the rest of her team.

Fortunately, Tierno was there to catch her, saving her from a fall. This immediately gained the attention of the rest of their group as they all glared at the guys on stage.

"Hey, you do that again and I'll _bust_ your ass!" Brock shouted at him, stepping out onto the stage. Chad only tapped his chest with both hands, throwing them upward before he slid back to the rest of his team. Even though they had started their routine without him, he fell in line as if he hadn't missed a beat.

"Miette, are you okay?" Shauna asked her as Miette stood on her own feet with a 'hmph', thanking Tierno under her breath.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Miette stated, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "What a stupid jerk!"

"You got that right!" Tierno hollered, shaking his fist at the other team.

Tapping her feet angrily, Miette found herself trying to think of a way to get back at him the next time they took the stage.

"Easy now, I'll pay him back in full." Brock stated.

Soon enough, the Cipher Squad's routine ended, and Chad tipped his cap at them as he backed off the stage, giving Miette a wink. Before Miette could even make a motion in response, Tierno stepped in front of her, slapping his cheeks to hype himself up. Then as a new beat started, he stepped out onto the stage. Tierno started out by himself and shocked just about every person in the audience.

For such a large guy, he moved incredibly well. His movements were smooth as he seemed to glide around the stage, proving to be more flexible and agile than anyone would give him credit for. Now balancing on his hands, Tierno began to perform some baby spins, turning on his hands as he contorted his legs. Then with one clean motion, he was back on his feet standing upright, calling his for teammates to join him on the stage. Both Serena and Shauna came out performing cartwheels before transitioning into a front flip where they stomped their feet audibly.

Now with all five of them were on stage together, their presentation was flawless as the crowd chanted and cheered for them. Completing their second routine, they stepped back conceding the stage to the other team, and Chad wasted no time returning to his antics. Coming up to the front of his group where he was close as possible to Brock and his gang, Chad went out of his way to taunt them as he danced, clearly trying to irritate them.

"Oh, just you wait! You won't be smiling when we're through with you!" Miette barked at him, but his smile only widened in response. Miette turned to the rest of her team. "Come on guys, we're not going to let him keep this up are we?!"

"No, we won't," Brock stated as he called for them to come closer to him. "Do you remember the big finish we practiced earlier this week?"

"With the jump?" Tierno clarified, getting a nod from Brock.

"Yeah, I remember that." Serena said as they all confirmed that they could recall it.

"Okay. We're going to finish with that. But I'm going to put a little something extra in there, so just follow accordingly." Brock said with a small smile. They all began to nod to each other before returning their focus to the team on stage.

Down in the audience, Dawn now noticed that there was something different about them. She couldn't really describe it, but there was a certain intensity surrounding the five of them.

The Cipher Squad backed off the stage, high fiving each other for how well they had done. The MC began to step on the stage, ready to declare as the audience who they thought was the winner, but Brock waved to him, motioning for him to stay back. Usually, each team would get two turns on stage in a battle, but if they felt like showing one extra routine, they could call for it. The MC nodded to Brock before pointing at the DJ, telling him to spin up one last track.

"Let's go!" Brock said as the five of them stepped onto the stage, earning the attention of the Cipher Squad who thought the battle was over.

"Heh, I wonder what they're going to do." Trevor exclaimed. Dawn almost yelped in surprise after discovering that both Trevor and Valerie had been standing with her and Ash.

"I don't think this was part of what they planned to do," Valerie noted as she clasped her hands together, watching as her friends began to dance one last time. "Let's see how this goes."

Brock was out in front, leading as the others followed his movements. He framed his face with his hands, bounced on his toes and spun. Slowly they were moving forward toward the other team, but Brock faded into the back of his group as his teammates now took over. Miette began took charge from here, allowing Brock to stand in the back as he eyed Chad. Upon seeing that the blue haired girl was in front of her group, he came to the front of his own to stare at her. Miette shot him a hard stare, which only gained a grin from him.

As Miette spun away from him now, the guy caught sight of Brock in the back. Their eyes met, and Brock raised a hand to point directly at him. The crowd seemed to hold their breath in preparation for whatever Brock had in store. From the back of his crowd, Brock came out spinning around his team, shifting from his toes to his heels as he spun, heading straight for the other team. With his earlier gesture toward Chad though, everyone knew that Brock was going to stop directly in front of him. This head true as Brock did just that, taking a moment to glare at him while listening to the beat of the music. Brock began to move his feet now, slowly at first. Then he began to raise his foot speed and the audience reacted accordingly.

"Dang man!"

"Whoooo!"

"Check out those steps!"

Brock began to point at his feet, adding in new movements such as half and quarter spins and shifting his weight almost effortlessly from his heels to the balls of his feet. Hearing the reactions from the audience, Brock smirked at Chad before jumping into the air. Upon landing on his feet and resuming his footwork, Miette joined him now, matching his steps perfectly. Then they jumped together and Tierno joined them. Soon enough all five of them were moving their feet quickly, impressing everyone present. All five of them jumped together, coming to a stop as they now faced the other team, their gaze focused on the young man that had been trying to terrorize them.

"Is that the best you got?" Chad asked Brock who was still standing directly in front of him. Brock grinned…then he dropped into a crouch suddenly, grabbing Chad's pants as he did so, ripping them down to reveal his bright yellow boxers he wore underneath. The crowd roared at this as Brock straightened back up, raised his hands and gave Chad a shove just as the jerk had done to Miette.

Losing his footing, Chad fell down onto his bottom while Brock leaned backward, throwing himself onto his hands. Now in a handstand, Brock balanced himself on one hand while he used his free hand to motion for his team to take a few steps back. Brock then went back onto his feet, and then jumped to perform a backflip. This marked the moment for all of them to jump.

The group of five came down on their feet in sync with one thunderous boom as the song came to an end, earning a downpour of cheers and applause from the audience. Their little finale clearly established that they had won, and it became that much more obvious as the MC came back onto the stage, screaming over their performance.

Dawn jumped with an ecstatic whoop, latching on to Ash as she cheered for them. Ash looked down at her, and Dawn blushed as she released her hold on his arm but Ash smiled at her.

"They're amazing, aren't they?" He asked her as he returned his gaze to his friends on stage.

They certainly were!

* * *

The whole group met together on the abandoned platform they had been practicing on earlier, save for Valerie and Trevor.

"Three cheers for Brock!" Tierno hollered as he hoisted Brock into the air once again. Everyone crowded around Brock, their arms up as they laughed and shouted.

"You were just showing off at the end there with all of that footwork." Miette pointed out.

"I seem to remember all of us getting in on that action." Brock replied with a smirk. She only snickered in response since she was the first to join him.

"Alright guys, we're back!" Trevor and Valerie called out, gaining everyone's attention. They all discovered that the two of them had come down with a platter of drinks that they had snatched from the drink table back in the lobby.

"Aww yeah!" Brock roared as they crowded around them to collect a cup.

"Ash, Dawn, these two cups are yours." Valerie informed them as she motioned to the pair of cups on the platter with an 'x' on them.

"Why's that?" Dawn asked as Ash took his drink.

"You're not old enough to have alcohol right?" Serena asked her, causing Dawn to furrow her brow as she looked around at them.

"Wait, how old are you guys?" Dawn asked them.

"Twenty four." Brock stated.

"Twenty-two!" Shauna exclaimed after downing her cup.

"Twenty-one." Miette added.

"I just turned twenty one actually." Serena said, raising one hand slightly.

"Old enough!" Tierno said with a grin.

"He's twenty one like myself, Miette and Serena." Trevor said after giving Tierno a narrow glance.

"Yeah, the four of us graduated from high school together." Serena pointed as she glanced at Tierno who scratched the back of his neck with a laugh.

Dawn then looked to Valerie since she was the only one who hadn't answered.

"Actually, now that I think about it. I don't know how old Valerie is." Serena noted causing the rest of them to look up in thought.

"Yeah, you never told us." Trevor pointed out as the others agreed. None of them knew this piece of information concerning Valerie. In response though, she only winked at the group.

"Not telling." She said sweetly, sticking out her tongue.

"What if we guess it?" Brock suggested.

"Yeah, if we guess right you have to tell us." Miette declared as she, Serena, Brock, and Trevor began to consider the possibilities.

"If she was the same age as any of us, she would've said something so that eliminates a couple of options right there." Trevor said, getting a nod of agreement from all of them.

"And there's no way she's over thirty." Brock added.

"Why are you making an assumption like that?" Serena exclaimed.

"Have you looked at her? There's no way Valerie could be thirty years old." Brock reasoned.

"Aww, thanks, Brock." She said graciously, smiling at him.

"Hey wait a sec, where's my cup?" Tierno exclaimed, realizing that he had yet to collect it from the platter.

"Too slow~!" Shauna called out to him with a laugh having already finished off his drink.

"Shauna!" Tierno shouted.

Ash leaned against the wall, watching the group with a cheery smile as Dawn approached him.

"Are they always like this?" She asked him as she joined him in observing his friends.

"Always." He replied with a nod. "So what did you think?"

"I know for a fact I saw something amazing tonight." Dawn said with a small smile, taking a peek at Ash out of the corner of her eyes. The performance his friends had put on was incredible, and Dawn had to credit the amazing person standing beside her for bringing her to this event.

"Good, I'm glad." Ash said before their attention was drawn to the staircase leading to the platform where dozens of people came rushing down.

"What's going on?" Dawn asked as Ash straightened up, watching as the crowd separated to allow two people to get through. The first guy he saw was light skinned and mostly bald save for a tuff of red hair. The other guy though seemed to contrast him perfectly, possessing long green locks with a cap on the top of his head.

The two of them continued out onto the platform and then jumped down onto the train tracks, taking a considerable distance from one another. The crowd remained up on the platform, watching with great anticipation as the two of them pulled small red and white spheres off their belts.

"Wait, there's going to be a Pokemon battle tonight?" Tierno asked curiously as he and everyone else looked on anxiously.

"A Pokemon battle? Aren't those _against the law_?" Dawn exclaimed.

"Which is exactly why it's happening down here." Trevor clarified with a grin as pulled out his camera, hoping to capture the footage of this battle.

"Of course, no wonder Ash showed up tonight." Miette noted as she and Serena looked toward Ash. He and Brock had separated themselves from their friends, now standing close to the edge of the platform where they would have the best view of the battle.

"Wait, why would that make Ash come here tonight?" Dawn asked them.

"Because Ash is trying to become a Pokemon trainer." Serena answered with just a hint of disdain. Dawn's eyes widened at this.

Ash…wanted to become a Pokemon trainer? The most frowned upon profession in the world. Dawn looked toward the young man that had brought her here tonight, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"Who's who?" Ash asked Brock, motioning to the pair of trainers. He didn't recognize either of them.

"The guy over here is Sidney. He's pretty big in the circuit, not someone you could take lightly no matter who you are. And the dude with the green hair, _that's_ N." Brock explained, directing Ash's attention to N. One of the five Kings of Vermilion City.

It was no secret that Pokemon battles were illegal. So much as owning a Pokemon was frowned upon by the general public. More often than not, Pokemon were tied to violence between the gangs in Vermilion City, frustrating the authorities because of the excessive damage Pokemon were capable of causing. Battling had been banned across the globe, and with a fear of Pokemon instilled in them, humans lived separately from Pokemon.

The sport of Pokemon battling couldn't be squashed though. Trainers continued in secret, developing a circuit to test their skills and the strength of their Pokemon.

Vermilion City became the heart of this circuit, where the strongest trainers gathered. These trainers gained a following in the city, and what started as small groups gradually expanded.

"Umm, Ash, is it alright for us to be here?" Dawn asked as she tentatively approached Ash and Brock.

"You don't have to worry Dawn." Ash assured her.

"We're underground right now, there's no way the police could catch wind of this battle." Brock explained to her. This didn't help Dawn relax though. She had never been to such an event, nor did she ever intend to attend one at her choosing. Noticing the excitement of the crowd though, Dawn couldn't deny that she was curious. She had never seen a Pokemon battle in person, and here was her first opportunity.

"So are these guys part of those um…" Dawn paused, trying to choose her words carefully. However, she couldn't think of a nicer term than what came to mind. "Are they part of those gangs that are always in the news?"

Brock and Ash both looked back at her for a moment, their expression remaining neutral.

"The police call them gangs, thugs, criminals and a whole ton of other stuff. But when you come down here, the first thing you learn is that all of those labels are incorrect. There are only kingdoms." Brock explained rather passionately. "Vermilion City hosts the strongest trainers in the world, who compete against one another almost constantly. The thing is that since the authorities are so tight about this, it isn't easy to make a living as a trainer. That's why these kingdoms formed. For trainers to support one another and help each other get by."

"So then, why do you all fight each other so much?" Dawn asked him, confusion evident on her face. She could recall seeing on the news many, many instances where violent battles broke out between these so-called 'kingdoms.' If their purpose was to support each other, why did they fight each other so often?

"Fight each other?" Ash exclaimed as he looked up in thought. Then he began to chuckle, shaking his head a bit. "That's just how other people see it. But we're only testing each other, trying to find ways to get stronger and improve both ourselves and our Pokemon."

"Truth," Brock said, raising his hand toward Ash and they bumped fists. "Alright, they're starting."

Everyone became hushed since Sidney had raised his hands, anxious to begin this battle.

"You ready?" Sidney called out to N who gave him a broad smile.

"Let's begin!" N hollered in return. They both hurled their Pokeballs into the air, releasing the creatures held within. Dawn gasped as two beasts with terrifying expressions took shape on the tracks, but the crowd roared with approval.

"Whoa, N is using his Zoroark!"

"He's not playing around with this battle!"

"But Sidney's using Absol, he's going all out too!"

"Absol, let's start this off right with Agility, then use Razor Wind!" Sidney commanded, swiping his hand through the air.

Absol snarled and stomped his front paws, causing his form to begin to flicker as the crooked horn that adorned his head gained a brilliant glow. Absol surged forward with great speed thanks to his powerful hind legs, moving almost too quickly for the crowd to follow as he closed in Zoroark, but the sinister black Pokemon smirked at the sight of Absol's approach.

"Block it." N stated.

Absol came barreling into Zoroark's side, his horn lowered to drive it deep into Zoroark's torso. There was contact and a rippling gust of wind was sent out that stirred up the audience. Absol leered up at his opponent and saw that his horn connected with Zoroark's sturdy forearm that didn't even budge from the force he attacked with. His eyes widen at the sight of such an effortless block from Zoroark, but this didn't deter Absol as he dashed off to attack from a different angle. However, the result was the same, Zoroark had no trouble blocking his attacks.

"Dang man!" Sidney exclaimed as he snapped his fingers. "Absol, let's step things up with Shadow Claw!"

Absol went up on his hind legs, and his front paws began ignited in a dark aura that became molded in some lengthy claws. He then pounced at Zoroark, claws raised to attack.

"Dodge," N said and Zoroark did just so. Even under attack, Zoroark showed no fear as he evaded each attack with fluidity. It all looked so easy! Ducking beneath another swipe, Zoroark further demonstrated his comfort in this close ranged combat by flicking Absol's forehead before he leaped backward to create some separation between them. Absol barred his fangs with a growl, frustration evident at his inability to even hit Zoroark properly. "Now Zoroark, use Shadow Claw as well!"

"They may be faster than us Absol, but let's show them who's stronger. Beat them down with your Shadow Claw!" Sidney shouted with a grin. There was no way they would be defeated a duel when it came to sheer strength.

Absol tightened his stance as his Shadow Claw grew in size before he lunged at Zoroark. In response, Zoroark raised only one of his paws which gained a similar menacing glow that Absol's possessed, manifesting into an extended trio of claws. Zoroark jumped forward to meet Absol and their claws met with a clash but this was only momentary. Absol's eyes widened in shock as he was immediately overpowered and hurled backward. Sidney gawked at the sight of his partner being sent tumbling away from Zoroark.

"No way, we lost in a power battle?!" Sidney exclaimed incredulously. He looked to N and saw the smile he wore.

"Now end it Zoroark, Focus Blast!" N ordered with one hand raised.

"Absol, get moving!" Sidney hollered to his partner who struggled to return to his feet. His eyes were on the ground, still trying to overcome the shock of he losing every exchange of attacks so far. He never looked up to see what was coming his way.

A sphere of shining light was launched at Absol and it snatched him up from the ground when it made contact with his body. This attack sent him spiraling into the wall where the attack detonated, smashing Absol right through while a portion of caved in upon of him.

"Absol!" Sidney roared as he rushed over to check his Pokemon. Thankfully, Absol was completely buried beneath the debris, allowing Sidney to call him back to the safety of his Pokeball. At the sight of this, the audience applauded Zoroark's fearsome strength as the battle came to its conclusion.

"I heard that Sidney has a pretty high ranking in the circuit, somewhere in the thirties." Brock informed Ash, getting a snort from him. No one would've been able to guess that looking at this battle. The strength of N and his Zoroark was just… _overwhelming_. Ash watched as N recalled his Zoroark while Sidney approached him. They shook hands with warm smiles before looking up to the audience who cheered wildly for the spectacle.

Ash watched as the two of them climbed back up onto the platform and began heading back up to the lobby. Focusing on N as he passed by, time seemed to slow down for Ash he felt his heart thumping in his chest. One of the Five Kings of Vermilion City was so close by, and yet after that battle, it felt as though N was unbearably far away. Ash felt a smile creep on his face, eager to challenge N at the next opportunity he would have.

N froze for a moment, furrowing his brow before glancing around at the people around him. Soon enough his gaze settled on Ash, and he gave Ash a bright smile before continuing on his way. Brock looked in the direction N had been smiling in, and realized that-that small gesture had been directed at Ash.

"What was that Ash?" Brock asked him.

"I don't know, but I'll be back." Ash said as he went off to pursue N.

This wasn't easy as Ash got caught in the crowd that was following the trainers as they returned to the lobby. Unfortunately, as Ash finally started to break through the crowd, he spotted N meeting with a pair of men dressed in black who escorted him into the elevator. Ash didn't even have a chance of making it before the doors shut, taking N back up to the train station above them.

"Dang." Ash muttered to himself as he glanced around in search of the stairwell that would take him back to the train station. Soon enough Ash found the old stairway. It was big and dusty as it spiraled upward, but this was his only way to catch up to N. Taking a deep breath, Ash began to go up the steps two at a time. It took him some time but he reached the top and he could feel his knees burning, but Ash shook it off and proceeded out into the train station to search for N. Entering the main lobby, Ash looked around before spotting N and his two escorts heading out the main entrance.

Chasing after them, Ash burst out of the doors and was shocked to discover that N was waiting for him.

"I had a feeling you would come." He said to Ash as he motioned for his escorts to take some distance from them.

"How-how'd you know?" Ash asked him.

"By the way, you were looking at me. Only other trainers look at me like that." N explained with a bit of a laugh.

"Well yeah, cause I just saw a great battle. Now I feel like having one myself." Ash replied, scratching the back of his neck. "So uh, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Not at all." N said kindly.

"Are you…a Pokemon Master?"

N's expression seemed to harden for a moment as he blinked at Ash. Then he snorted and gave a soft chuckle as he considered the question.

"Am I a Pokemon Master?" N asked himself out loud before he shook his head. "I've heard a few people mention that title, but to be honest, I never heard a straight answer about what that really is."

"Aww man, I heard that you were the best trainer in the city, so I was kind of hoping you might have known something about it," Ash mumbled before waving off his comment. "That's okay though, it's no big deal."

"Where did you hear about it, if you don't mind me asking?" N inquired curiously.

The term Pokemon Master was something N had caught whispers off during his travels, but the trainers he had spoken to didn't have a definitive answer. This left him to wonder if it was something that had been made up, possibly to stir up trainers that there was something waiting for them if they attained some form of mastery over Pokemon…or could it mean something else?

Ash cleared his throat as he looked up in thought, recalling the first time he had heard about a Pokemon Master.

"My dad was a Pokemon trainer when I was little, and he would tell me about his adventures whenever he came home. Then there was one night he asked me what I thought a Pokemon Master was." Ash explained to N who listened on intently. "I didn't really have an answer for him if I had to be honest."

"What would you say now? What does it mean…to be a Pokemon Master?" N asked him, leaving Ash a little surprised as he froze momentarily. He didn't really think that N would be so inquisitive, nor did he plan on holding a conversation with him, but now that it was in progress Ash would happily continue. It wasn't every day you got to speak face to face with one of the strongest trainers in the world.

"Well, at first I thought that a Pokemon Master was the strongest trainer. But…that didn't really feel like the right answer to me. As I got to know my Pikachu, I realized there's a lot more to Pokemon than just strength. Each of them represents a life, one that's filled with as much potential as you and I. So I've been starting to think that a Pokemon Master isn't _just_ a strong trainer…" Ash trailed off for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He had spent so much time thinking about this subject that the words just wanted to come gushing out of him. "As a Pokemon Master, you represent something. You have the respect and admiration of all trainers because they recognize the strength of you and your Pokemon. But at the same time to regular people, a lot of which fear Pokemon at the moment, you're living proof that forming close bonds with Pokemon is…ideal."

"It seems like that would be a tremendous burden." N noted, but Ash's expression seemed to brighten at this.

"I don't think a Pokemon Master would even notice all of that though. I think that he or she would be so wrapped up with their Pokemon that it wouldn't matter if the weight of the world was on their shoulders, they'd be completely fine. So long as they have their Pokemon with them, there's nothing that would bother them." Ash continued, and N smiled at him a bit for this statement.

"I'm glad you said that Ash. I've met quite a few trainers, but not all of them could make such bold statements like you just did." N said to him. "In fact, I know a number of trainers that don't believe a Pokemon Master could ever exist."

Ash stared at him incredulously for a moment. Who in their right mind would say a Pokemon Master doesn't exist?!

"Needless to say, I shared my thoughts with them on the subject. Hopefully, they'll turn out for the better with it." N went on with a small chuckle.

"So…you believe there's a Pokemon Master too?" Ash asked him almost tentatively. N laughed at Ash's question, finally answering once he had calmed down a bit.

"Definitely. In fact, you and I share some of the same views of a Pokemon Master." N replied. "For example, I agree that a Pokemon Master must be skilled. I feel as though a Pokemon Master's strength would be so unparalleled, that no other trainer could ever stand against them."

Ash nodded in agreement. He could never imagine the Pokemon Master losing a battle. Not in a million years!

"However, I don't see the Pokemon Master as a figurehead, like you do," N noted briefly as their gaze met. "I see them more as…a ruler. My belief is that a Pokemon Master is selected, by whom…I'm not certain. Since they were selected though, they were given, a vision or, an _ideal_ as you put it. And because they possess this, they are willing to assert themselves in order to create the ideal world that they have witnessed."

N and Ash stared at each other for a few moments, remaining silent. Ash couldn't really think of what to say. N's thoughts of what a Pokemon Master represented left him at a loss for words. How could N come to the conclusion that a Pokemon Master was some sort of ruler? A Pokemon Master couldn't be a dictator!

Seeing that Ash was struggling to speak now, N took it upon himself to push the conversation along.

"As I've said though Ash, I've never met a Pokemon Master, nor am I that person. I am searching for them." N stated, causing Ash to perk up with curiosity.

"You're looking for them?" Ash asked, furrowing his brow. N gave him a nod in response. "What for?"

N motioned toward him.

"As you said, a Pokemon Master should be able to show everyone that forming relationships with Pokemon is ideal. The public right now doesn't understand that." N noted, shaking his head slightly. "That's why I believe a Pokemon Master must be assertive. To help ignorant people see through the veil that's been put in front of them."

The way all trainers were viewed by the public was a touchy subject. All of them were lumped into a category of thugs, gangs and general hazards to society. Pokemon training was frowned upon by the masses, and being caught practicing or taking part in a battle would land you time in prison.

"You saw it earlier. The audience that watched that battle loved every minute of it. There _are_ people out there that respect and admire Pokemon trainers, but the number of people that do pales in comparison to the number of people that don't." N explained. "So many people are wrapped up in the general opinion of Pokemon that they're unwilling to even try getting close to them. Those people are the ones that will never understand the true capabilities of Pokemon or the bonds that you can form with them."

"Wouldn't being forceful with those kinds of people only steer them away from Pokemon?" Ash asked him in response. N merely looked up, a smile forming on his face.

"No. You would have to show them what they're missing out on." N stated. "That's why I want to meet a Pokemon Master, and have one special battle, like no other. We would put on a performance for the entire world to see, one that would reach people's hearts and _make them_ see Pokemon for what they're worth. Not as these creatures that we must live apart from, but companions and friends to walk alongside us."

N looked down at his hands, now noticing that he had clenched them into tight fists. Stretching out his fingers with a soft sigh, N relaxed before looking up at Ash who seemed to be staring at him intensely.

Ash was breathing softly right now, struggling to focus on N. As the green haired young man had been speaking, a pair of white wings had sprouted from his back, stretching out gallantly behind him. To say they were large was an understatement. They were the biggest pair of wings Ash had ever seen on a person! Noticing the grin N had donned, Ash blinked a few times and regained his focus.

"Sorry, I got a little riled up." He apologized to Ash.

"No no, I get like that too." Ash said, returning N's smile with a nod of understanding.

Despite the differences in their views of a Pokemon Master, Ash could see that ultimately, they both shared the same goal. To change the perception of Pokemon.

Ash and N's attention was drawn to one of the attendants who had approached them.

"Excuse me, sir, we do have a schedule to keep this weekend." He reminded N who snapped his fingers.

"Right, sorry. I'll be right with you guys." He said, receiving a nod from the tall man. "It looks like I have to go. It was a pleasure talking to you. Hopefully, our paths will cross again…"

N motioned for Ash to introduce himself.

"Ash, Ash Ketchum." Ash stated with a grin as they shook hands.

* * *

With a sigh, Dawn dabbed at her leg jeans with a napkin, trying to dry them as best she could.

The night had been so exciting up until the Pokemon battle took place. Dawn had never seen one in person before, and it was scary, to say the least. The two Pokemon she had seen tonight we both frightening to look at, and vicious in combat. Everyone else that was watching the battle though had been cheering wildly, and Dawn couldn't seem to grasp why they all were excited by watching these Pokemon fight each other. At the same time though, Dawn couldn't stand watching combat sports, so maybe she couldn't connect with Pokemon battles either.

After the battle had ended, Ash had disappeared and the music and dancing resumed around the subway station. Unfortunately, Dawn had been dragged back into the lobby of the station by the crowd that had come down to the platform and found herself on her own for a few minutes. As she had wandered around, Dawn had bumped into a young man resulting in her spilling her drink on the leg of her jeans. He had apologized profusely just moments ago and darted off to replace her drink.

Feeling her phone buzz in her back pocket, Dawn pulled it out to see that she had received a text from Ash asking where she was. Dawn replied that she wasn't quite sure. All of the movement after the Pokemon battle had left her somewhere in the lobby.

"Crap." Ash muttered after reading the response from Dawn. He had run into Brock on his way back into the subway station who shared with him that they had all lost track of Dawn.

"What's the matter, Ash?" Brock asked him. The two of them were in the heart of the lobby where most of the festivities were taking place. The music was considerably lower than when they had first arrived, allowing them to hold a conversation.

"Dawn doesn't know where she is." He groaned while running a hand down the side of his face.

"That's our bad, to be honest Ash, we should've been keeping track of her." Brock admitted, but Ash waved it off.

"I shouldn't have left in the first place." Ash grumbled before feeling Brock nudge him with his shoulder. Looking at his friend, Brock nodded to his side as a gesture for Ash to look at something. Leaning forward a bit, Ash looked further down the table they were standing beside to see a guy who continued to look around as he poured to drinks. Leaning back a bit now to stay in Brock's shadow, Ash kept one eye on this guy as he pulled a tiny sealed package of his pocket and ripped it open, dumping its contents into one of the drinks. Once he completed this, he picked up both cups and went on his way.

"I don't like the look of that." Brock commented.

"Me neither." Ash agreed.

"We gonna follow him?"

"…Yeah, we'll find Dawn after this." Ash stated. Brock went off immediately while Ash took a moment to text Dawn saying it would be at least a few minutes. Tucking his phone away, Ash went off to pursue Brock who wasn't that hard to follow in the crowd considering his height.

Catching up to Brock, the two them kept their distance as they followed this guy to the far end of the lobby where the crowds had thinned out. Brock struck up a conversation with Ash in order to make sure it didn't seem as though they were intentionally following this guy who had been glancing around as he moved.

This little conversation died in their throats though as they saw the same guy they had been following approach a bluenette who had been standing by herself.

"Dawn." Ash muttered in a whisper. "What the hell?"

"I'm really sorry about earlier." The guy apologized to Dawn once again.

"Like I said, don't worry about it." Dawn said to him half-heartedly as he offered her the drink he had brought.

"I figured I could at least replace the drink you lost." He offered kindly. Dawn thanked him softly and accepted the cup. The guy watched her expectantly for a few moments before motioning for her to drink up. Dawn obliged to his gesture and raised the cup to her lips. As she went to take a sip though, Dawn gasped as the scene in front of her plunged into total chaos.

A fist hit the guy in front of her, right in the jaw which threw him to the floor. His drink went flying out of his hand as he shouted in pain. Placing a hand on the side of his face, he looked up angrily at his attacker.

"Ash?" Dawn exclaimed, and her confusion and shock only increased as Brock snatched the cup she held.

"The hell is your problem man!?" The guy shouted furiously at Ash before his attention was drawn to Brock as he dumped the drink on the floor.

"What the hell did you put in her drink?!" Ash barked at him, causing the guy to swallow his anger suddenly.

"Despicable," Brock said with a sneer, seeing that the guy was now realizing he had been caught. "You think you're slick trying to take advantage of a girl. What's the matter with you?"

Scrambling to his feet, the guy took off in a sprint, and Brock rushed off to pursue him. Ash remained with Dawn though, taking a deep breath as he relaxed a bit, knowing that Brock would make sure that guy was punished properly.

"What's going on?" Dawn asked, trying to piece together everything that had just happened.

"That guy put some crap in your drink. I don't know what it was, but we're lucky Brock saw it." Ash explained to her, causing Dawn to look down at her drink which Brock had dumped on the floor.

"Oh my god." Dawn muttered softly. It hadn't even occurred to her that she couldn't trust that guy. She had assumed that he had no ill intents, that he was genuine and that was her mistake. There was no telling what the drink could've done to her, or what the guy would've done after that. Noticing that Dawn was drowning in her own thoughts, Ash placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Dawn, don't worry. We wouldn't have let anything happen to you. I should have been keeping a closer eye on you, but I got distracted." Ash admitted to her. "People like that guy, they're the worst. Most of the people here came to have a good time, but there's always someone that has to try and ruin it. He has no respect for the people that worked hard to be here tonight."

Dawn looked at Ash, and for the first time since she had met him, he looked genuinely upset. Compared to his typically calm demeanor, she had seen a number of different faces on Ash tonight. He seemed to sparkle in the presence of people he trusted, and it was clear that he would stop at nothing to stand up for those same people.

"I think we should head home now." Ash said with a sigh. His mood had been ruined now, and above all else, he wanted to make sure Dawn got back home safely.

* * *

"Are you serious, someone tried to spike her drink?!" Serena exclaimed as the group of seven exited the train station above ground, heading for Brock's car where he had left Dawn and Ash. Brock had managed to gather up the group who had been scattered around the subway station, informing them all that Ash was going to be leaving. That alone was enough to get them away from the festivities, but then Brock told them what had happened to Dawn as well.

"Yeah, but we stopped her before she drank any of it," Brock explained, much to everyone's relief. "Ash and I are going to take her home."

"Crap, now I feel bad. I kinda forgot she was with us." Tierno muttered before feeling Shauna flick the back of his head. She was currently receiving a piggyback ride from him and her cheeks were rosy as she commanded Tierno to move faster.

"It might be a good idea for all us to go home anyway, Shauna especially," Trevor commented, getting a small laugh from the group. "She had quite a few drinks while we weren't looking."

"What else is new?" Miette asked sarcastically. Shauna always drank too much when they went out.

"I'll take Shauna home then," Serena stated. "Who else needs a ride?"

"Brock picked me up, so I need a ride home." Miette said with one hand raised.

"There's a word you forgot Miette." Serena pointed out with a small grin, causing Miette to roll her eyes.

"Puh-lease." Miette said through pursed lips.

"I would be delighted to give you a ride home Miette. You'll have to sit in the back with Shauna though, I don't want her to stick her head out the window or anything." Serena explained, receiving a sigh from Miette as they arrived at Brock's car. Dawn was seated in the passenger seat with Ash standing beside the open door, holding a small conversation with her. At the sight of everyone approaching them, Dawn jumped to her feet.

"Are you all leaving?" Dawn exclaimed.

"Yeah, I think we're going to call it a night." Tierno said as he kneeled down, placing Shauna on her feet beside the trunk of the car for her to lean on.

"Oh, I'm sorry guys." Dawn said to them.

"Don't feel bad Dawn, you're not the only reason we're going home." Serena pointed out, and right on cue, Dawn saw Shauna bend over and begin retching. Brock slapped his hand over eyes immediately.

"Tell me she didn't get any on my bumper." Brock said to Tierno who looked around at the group.

"Uh, so you want me to lie?" He asked in return.

"Aww, damn it!" Brock said, causing everyone to laugh before they began to go their separate ways.

"It was great seeing you again Ash." Tierno said as they bumped fists, followed by Trevor and Valerie.

"Don't be a stranger now." Trevor added, receiving a grin from Ash.

"I'm sure you guys will be seeing more of me in the future." Ash replied, waving to this trio as they made they left, heading for Valerie's car.

Next, Miette and Shauna approached him with Shauna in between them, her arms around their necks to use them as support.

"I'll be seeing you guys." Ash said to the three of them.

"Hmph, I hope your next visit is sometime soon Ash." Miette commented, getting a chuckle out of him.

"I said I'd drop by already, didn't I?" He asked her in return. Then he glanced at Serena who had been trying to think of something to say. "Hopefully you'll be there next time."

"I'll be there," Serena replied sternly. "I had fun dancing with you again. It was like old times."

"You know I'll never forget the steps with you." Ash replied, giving her a small smile. Serena pursed her lips a bit, her cheeks reddening slightly.

"You had better not." She retorted. Finally, Ash's gaze settled on Shauna in the middle.

"Good night Shauna." He said to her. Shauna didn't respond though, not even bothering to look up at him.

Serena and Miette both gave her a nudge with their elbows in an effort to get a response to Ash from her.

"Ugh, my head hurts~, just leave me alone." She mumbled out, causing the group to deadpan.

"Well, I'll take what I can get since she's had a few drinks tonight," Ash commented causing Miette to shake her head. "Get home safely girls."

Miette and Serena waved to Ash as they left with Shauna, leaving just Ash, Dawn and Brock. With a grateful sigh, Brock climbed into the driver's seat now that he had successfully cleaned off the rear bumper of his car.

"So you've said goodbye to everyone, are you ready to head out?" Brock asked Ash who gave him a nod.

"Yeah, let's get Dawn home." Ash said as he left Dawn in the passenger seat, jumping in the backseat so that they could get going.

* * *

Dawn sighed with relief as she flopped onto her bed, amazed that her that she had actually gotten back into her room unnoticed. Thankfully, Ash had helped her with some of the things she hadn't given much thought, such as climbing back onto the wall that bordered her property. With his help though it was a breeze, placing her back in her room and not a soul in this house knew that she had gone out.

"3 am, geez." Dawn exclaimed in a whisper after looked at the clock on her wall. With how the night had unfolded, she wouldn't have been surprised if it was almost sunrise. Not only had she attended an underground event, but she had witnessed a Pokemon battle. She had made some new friends and saw a different side of Ash Ketchum tonight.

Now she understood what Ash had wanted her to see, and she knew why he always said that there was something missing from her work.

She had always thought that if she had worked hard at something, that was would be more than enough to reach her goals. Ash, however, had been trying to tell her that sometimes that won't suffice. She had to immerse herself in her work if she expected to succeed, just like how Ash's friends worked so hard as dancers.

Seeing them perform on stage, Dawn could tell that they had practiced for hours each day of the week. Blood, sweat, and tears went into their work. They poured their soul into it.

'I've never done that before.' Dawn said to herself. Sure she had struggled from time to time, but she would settle in the end. Almost like she gave up…

She couldn't accept that any longer.

* * *

 **A/N**

Easily my favorite chapter so far, so I really hope you all enjoyed it as well!

So we had two battles in this chapter, a dance battle, and a Pokemon battle. I'm not that good at writing Pokemon battles, but I'm hoping for some improvement as we get to the other ones that I have planned.

If you remember from the first chapter, I was trying to make sure everyone understood that this was an AU. I believe this chapter solidifies why I was giving you all that warning. You're not going to see a lot of Pokemon battles because they're illegal. So everyone has normal lives and Pokemon battles are conducted in secret.

Also, another discussion that I've been looking into that was featured in this chapter…what does it mean to be a Pokemon Master? I've been reading an old discussion about what this means since there's never been an official answer about this title. I still haven't been able to come up with an answer myself, but it certainly interesting to think about. Does being the strongest trainer make you a Pokemon Master? Does catching every Pokemon make you a Pokemon Master? What about the Legendary Pokemon? Is winning the League Conferences suffice like in the anime, or do you have to beat the Elite Four and Champion as well? Then there's the Battle Frontier. The list goes on and on for possible benchmarks for becoming a Pokemon Master.

All I can say for now is that I will definitely be exploring this subject throughout this story.

Moving on, notable characters!

 **N.** He was probably my favorite 'rival' if you'll consider him that. The whole backstory from Pokemon B&W was easily my favorite with the two heroes using Reshiram and Zekrom. N is pivotal to this story later on, so expect to see him more in the future. Is he friend…or foe? Only time will tell.

As always I have to thank MjrGenMatt for all of his help! Thank you all for reading, and I hope to see you at our next update!


	6. Perspective I

**Chapter 6**

* * *

 **Saturday, September 10th**

Dawn yawned audibly as she sat in her kitchen, quietly looking at dress designs on her phone. She was so glad that today was Saturday after having such a long night. It wasn't often that she slept in, but that was practically a requirement after the night she just had.

"Ah Miss Dawn, I'm glad to see that you've awakened." Darach greeted her as he entered the large kitchen.

"Good morning Darach." Dawn replied softly, giving him a small wave.

"It's almost eleven o'clock. Would you like anything for breakfast?" He offered her after glancing at the clock.

"Umm, I don't think so. I'm feeling fine right now. I might have an early lunch later on though." Dawn replied. Darach gave her a nod as he joined her at the table, taking a seat across from her. Dawn felt a chill run down her spine as she stole a glance at Darach, catching a glimpse of the stoic expression he wore as he observed her.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question, Miss Dawn?" Darach asked her, and this caused Dawn's heart rate to pick up. The way he was examining her, almost skeptically…it made her feel uneasy. Did Darach know anything about last night? Was he there?!

"Ah, sure." Dawn said, inviting him to proceed.

"Are you aware of the curfew your parents set for you?" Darach began, and Dawn already knew that her fate was sealed. Giving him a small nod, Darach then continued. "It's a generous time, so why would you choose to go out _after_ your curfew?"

"How'd you know?" Dawn asked him first.

"I always check on all of you once you've gone to sleep, Miss Dawn. When I checked your room last night, I surprised to see that you weren't there. Where did you go?"

"I went to hang out with some friends. Believe me, _that_ was a one-time thing." Dawn explained. She definitely didn't plan on seeing any more of Vermilion City's nightlife in the near future.

"And what about that young man you returned with this morning. Who is he?" Darach inquired as he leaned forward a bit. Dawn leaned back into her seat with a pout now since the entirety of her night out had been completely exposed by Darach. All of her careful planning had been spoiled on her very first attempt.

"His name is Ash Ketchum. We go to school together." Dawn said with a huff, causing Darach to perk up.

"Ketchum?" He repeated, getting a nod from Dawn.

"Mhmm, and he's pretty nice too." Dawn said before their doorbell chimed.

"Excuse for one moment," Darach said as he rose from his seat. He disappeared from the kitchen to answer the front door, leaving Dawn to drum her fingers on the table as she waited. Soon enough, Darach returned with another question for Dawn. "Miss Dawn, were you expecting company today?"

"I wasn't expecting anyone. Why, who is it?" Dawn asked in return as Darach beckoned for her to come with him.

"There's a young woman at the door requesting your presence." Darach explained as the two of them journeyed to the main entrance of the estate where Dawn found none other than Serena waiting there for her.

"Serena?" Dawn exclaimed at the sight of the familiar brunette who smiled upon seeing her.

"Good morning Dawn!" She said cheerily.

"I see, so this is another acquaintance from school?" Darach asked as he looked toward Dawn.

Dawn kept a neutral expression as she realized Darach must have associated Serena with Ash, assuming that Serena was also one of her peers. Dawn was ready to correct him but another thought occurred in her mind. Did she want to tell Darach that she had met Serena from the night before? She had already promised him that she wouldn't break curfew again, but mentioning that she was still associating with the people she had met last night probably wasn't the best idea. Dawn didn't need to have Darach being suspicious of her.

"Ye-up. Serena, this is Darach, my butler." Dawn said, introducing the man who bowed to Serena.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Darach said as he straightened up. "Seeing as you have company, Miss Dawn, we'll drop the subject you and I were discussing and I'll give you some privacy."

"Thank you Darach." Dawn said as he left the two of them together at the front door.

Serena waited a few moments, watching Darach disappear into one of the corridors before she finally spoke again.

"Dang Dawn, Ash said your house was big, but this is _huge_!" She noted, looking around in awe. Dawn gave a sheepish chuckle in response. "What does your family do?"

"Oh, my dad is big on trade and commerce and stuff like that. Plus he owns the shipping yards downtown." Dawn explained, leaving Serena wide-eyed. No wonder they were so well off. "By the way, how'd you know where I live?"

"Ash texted me your address this morning. After what happened last night, he said you were a little shaky." Serena explained. "Miette and I were coming today, but she was called into work so I came by myself."

Dawn was touched that Ash's friends were willing to come all the way to her home to make sure she was alright. Serena barely even knew her yet she had gone through all of this trouble.

"Thank you so much." Dawn said sweetly. "Believe me, I'm totally fine now."

"I'm happy to hear that. Ash was beating himself up for not keeping track of you last night." Serena added. "Actually, that's also why I stopped by. I wanted to talk to you about Ash."

"Really?"

* * *

The Berlitz Estate was very large, much too big for the four occupants to use effectively. However, there was one room that was used exclusively by just one person - the head of the household Mr. Berlitz. It was a den in the far wing of the estate, and neither his wife nor his daughter had ever set foot in this room.

Standing alone in this den, Darach looked around the dimly lit room that was filled with priceless antique furniture and various shelves and cabinets lined up against the walls. This room was an information hub.

Darach understood that Mr. Berlitz was a powerful man, more powerful than his family knew. He had a monopoly on the shipping industry in Vermilion City, possessing full control of the shipping yards within the city. With this, Mr. Berlitz had a wealth of connections around the city to all sorts of important figures. These sorts of connections came with secrets though, all of which were contained within this den.

'Ash Ketchum.' Darach said as he approached one of the cabinets. Opening it up, he began to flip through the files contained within it.

Darach didn't venture into this den often, but when he did it came with a good reason. Dawn's mention of the surname 'Ketchum' sounded oddly familiar. He had heard it somewhere before, although he didn't think that it would be associated with a high schooler, one that Dawn of all people would know.

"Ah, here it is." Darach noted softly as he pulled out the file he was searching for that was labeled with the name Ketchum. Heading over to the nearby desk, Darach laid it down, opened it, and was instantly taken aback by its contents. The first document within it was a police investigation concerning the _murder_ of Delia Ketchum.

Beginning to move through the contents of the file now, Darach was quite surprised by what he was learning. Briefly, it touched on each of the members of the Ketchum family, Aaron, Delia, and Ash. However, the bulk of its contents surrounded the business agreements between Mr. Berlitz and Aaron Ketchum, the husband, and father. The two of them had formed a partnership almost twenty years ago.

Mr. Berlitz had just finished constructing the last extension of his shipping yards, deeming his project complete. Many of his associates advised that he hire some sort of security to ensure that his yards didn't attract unwanted attention. Mr. Berlitz had hired two other security agencies, both of which failed to prevent Pokemon trainers from using his shipping yards as an area to host battles. So he turned to Aaron who was running a business off the books, using Pokemon trainers for security detail.

This worked like a charm, allowing his shipping yards to thrive with there being no threats to his business. However, tensions between Aaron and Mr. Berlitz began to spark over the course of a few years until the fuse was finally lit. Within a short period of time, the tensions between both parties went off like a bomb.

Delia was killed.

Aaron disappeared.

Little Ash was orphaned.

The whereabouts of Ash and Aaron were unknown since the information had been left unattended for years now.

'Hmm, this could be useful.' Darach noted.

* * *

Dawn was seated in the passenger seat of Serena's small car as they raced along the expressway that would take them to the north side of Vermilion City. Their conversation earlier had been very short as Serena simply grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her into her car so that she could take her across town. Fortunately, Dawn had been dressed decently so she didn't protest as Serena practically kidnapped her.

"So do you remember last night when Miette asked you if you like Ash?" Serena asked her.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Dawn asked slowly, eyeing the brunette as she drove.

"Well, I just think that you should know that if you plan on getting close with Ash, there are a few things you might want to know." Serena explained with a very sobering tone. Dawn could tell that this subject was going to be heavy.

"I mean, I think I got the gist of it last night. I never would've guessed that Ash wanted to become a Pokemon trainer." Dawn commented. She was still in shock over this discovery, struggling to wrap her head around how Ash could be interested in Pokemon. It didn't make any sense to her at all. "He's such a good artist too. Why would he want to become a Pokemon trainer?"

"Ash has uh…a complicated life." Serena said with a sigh. "To him, becoming a trainer is sort of a quick fix for it."

"But you could get arrested for being a Pokemon trainer." Dawn stated, shaking her head a bit. She genuinely wanted to know why such a talented person like Ash would turn to such a dangerous lifestyle in search of stability. It didn't make any sense.

"He knows that. It's not enough to stop him though."

"That's just a waste of time then." Dawn proclaimed.

"Watch it, Dawn." Serena said sharply, her expression darkening momentarily.

Dawn was taken aback by Serena's change in tone. Realizing that she must have overstepped her boundaries, Dawn remained silent, waiting for Serena to continue speaking.

"Sorry. It's just that I know he has a lot on his plate right now, but he's always working hard. So please, don't say things like that." Serena said defensively.

Dawn remembered Ash's criticism of her, that she only took everything at face value. At this very moment, she was sitting in an opportunity to break free of this habit, all she had to do was pay closer attention to what Serena had just shared with her.

Dawn could discern from Serena's comment that she knew more about Ash than she let on.

"Don't get me wrong though Dawn, I hate what he's trying to do." Serena continued, slightly irritated now.

"You don't want him to become a trainer?" Dawn asked softly.

"None of us do-" Serena stated firmly. "-with the exception of Brock."

Dawn furrowed her brow at the thought of Brock encouraging Ash to become a Pokemon trainer.

"Why would Brock do that?" Dawn asked with a furrowed brow.

"The two of them knew each other before I even met Ash. So I probably don't know any better than you." Serena admitted.

"So then, what do you know about Ash?" Dawn asked curiously. It was clear Serena knew him better than she did.

"Ash is…this amazing person that's been _stuck_ for…I don't know how long now." Serena responded.

"Stuck?"

"Yeah, like you've seen what he's capable of. He used to dance with our group, and I've seen some of those paintings in his house. He's incredible! But he can't build on any of it." Serena lowered her voice with her last statement, appearing to be disheartened by what she was saying. Dawn could tell that Serena wanted Ash to succeed, and his choices were bothering her.

"So what's the reason he wants to become a Pokemon trainer?" Dawn asked once again, returning to the root of this problem.

"It might be easier if I just show you."

* * *

Dawn now stood on the front porch steps for a two-story building with Serena at her side. The brunette had taken her into a dense neighborhood on the north end of Vermilion City. There were people everywhere enjoying their Saturday morning since there was no work or school. However, the two girls remained focused squarely on the house in front of them.

"So what are we doing here?" Dawn asked, causing Serena to sigh deeply.

"Sorry, it's been a while since I've been here." Serena replied as she raised her hand, beginning to knock on the door.

It was a few moments before the door opened up, revealing a young purple haired girl and an older woman with golden hair. The two of them gasped at the sight of Serena, their eyes wide.

"No way, Serena?!" They exclaimed together, causing her to laugh.

"It's good to see you guys too." She said, greeting Casey and Cassidy who invited them in.

"Macy, guess who's here?!" Casey shouted as she ran upstairs to retrieve her younger sister.

"And who might you be?" Cassidy asked after closing the door, placing her gaze on Dawn.

"This is a friend of Ash's. Her name is Dawn. Dawn this is Cassidy, Ash's…" Serena trailed off in search of a title that she could give to Cassidy.

"Caretaker." Cassidy interjected, getting a nod of thanks from Serena.

"So this is where Ash lives?" Dawn asked as she looked around their home.

"You got it." Cassidy said she motioned for them to come with her.

"Is Ash here right now?" Serena asked tentatively.

"No, he went out earlier this morning. He'll be back later if you wanted to see him." Cassidy said as they entered the living room, allowing Dawn to see one of the murals Ash had painted in the house.

"Oh my gosh!" Dawn exclaimed as she stared at the massive painting. "Who did this?!"

"Ash of course," Serena said, causing Dawn's jaw to drop. "I thought you would've figured that out yourself Dawn since you're always going on about how he's such a great artist."

"Well I mean I've only seen his sketches. I had no idea he could paint like this!" Dawn explained, motioning to the mural.

"Serena!" Dawn turned to see a small girl come running down the staircase beside them gleefully having spotted Serena. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she turned and raced at Serena, latching onto her leg. Looking up, she noticed that Serena's hair was much shorter than the last time she had visited. "Aww, you cut your hair. I like it better long."

"Oh I'm sorry Macy. I just felt like it was time I did something different." Serena replied as she kneeled down to collect Macy from the floor.

"So what made you stop by today?" Cassidy asked as leaned over the banister of the staircase, listening to their conversation.

"Dawn has gotten to know a bit about Ash since she first met him," Serena explained, gesturing toward the bluenette. "I thought she might want to be well informed about a few things going in."

Cassidy now turned to Dawn, taking a few moments to quietly observe the girl. Then she nodded to Serena who left with Macy, heading toward the kitchen. Cassidy then looked up at Casey and motioned for her to get moving. She didn't want her listening in to their conversation. With a huff Casey went back upstairs, leaving Dawn and Cassidy to speak privately within the living room.

"Boy, it's been a long time since Serena came by," Cassidy noted with a smile. "It must still be tough for her to come here by herself."

"Why would it be tough? All of you seem to like her." Dawn pointed out, recalling how they had greeted her at the door.

"Well, she and Ash used to date." Cassidy revealed, surprising Dawn.

"Really?" She exclaimed, receiving a nod from Cassidy.

"They were good for each other too. Serena's older than him, so it was easier for her to get through Ash's thick skull." Cassidy commented with a chuckle.

"They _used_ to date. So what happened, if you don't mind me asking?" Dawn inquired now, causing Cassidy to go take a seat on one of the sofas, inviting Dawn to join her. Once the two of them were seated and comfortable, Cassidy began to speak again.

"My big mouth is what happened. I revealed some things that were better left in the dark, and it broke them apart." Cassidy explained, and Dawn donned an expression of concern.

"So then, what are you going to tell me?" Dawn asked. If a conversation with Cassidy ruined the relationship between Ash and Serena, why would Serena bring her here to talk to Cassidy?

"Obviously I've learned my lesson, Dawn. I just didn't anticipate Ash reacting like how he did." Cassidy explained, motioning for Dawn to remain calm. "However, there are some things about Ash that you _need_ to know."

"I already know he's trying to become a Pokemon trainer. I don't know why he wants to be a trainer, and Serena didn't really give me a straight answer about it either." Dawn said, and Cassidy began to nod to herself a bit.

"So Dawn, can you answer this for me? What do you feel toward Ash?" Cassidy asked her in a solemn tone. Cassidy wasn't beating around the bush; she got straight to the point.

Dawn had been asked a similar question last night. Serena had also asked her a similar question on the ride here. Did she like Ash? Dawn still didn't have a definite answer.

She had seen two sides of Ash Ketchum since meeting him. One that was reserved, quiet and observant…the version of him that she had spent a week with at school. Then there was the person that she had met last night. The person that smiled vibrantly around his friends, who danced like a goofball, that passionately stood beside anyone that he cared about. The person that had come to her rescue once again last night. Dawn was certain that this was the person that she…'liked.'

"Yes. I do like him." Dawn stated, her voice possessing clarity. Cassidy furrowed her brow, giving Dawn a look of uncertainty. Peering into Dawn's blue eyes, she searched for any doubt within them, but Dawn's eyes were unwavering.

"Dawn…I don't mean to sound rude when I ask you this, but are you sure you're prepared for this?" Cassidy asked her.

"I don't know what it is you're going to tell me, but it won't change my opinion of Ash," Dawn stated firmly. "I've seen enough of him myself to know that he's a good person."

Cassidy's expression brightened a bit at Dawn's response. It was similar to what Serena had said when she and Cassidy had this discussion some time ago.

"So can you tell me what's so complicated about Ash?"

Cassidy leaned back into the sofa for a moment, admiring the stance Dawn had taken for Ash. Dawn hadn't known Ash for long, but it was clear that he had left a lasting impression on her already. Perhaps she _might_ be able to trust Dawn.

"He's caught between two worlds right now." Cassidy revealed.

"What worlds?" Dawn asked as she leaned toward Cassidy a little.

"You've seen how talented he is," Cassidy said, looking back at the mural beside them. "There's so much he could do with himself, but he wants to be a Pokemon trainer. He's a senior in high school right now. He should be enjoying himself, spending time with his friends, and getting ready to take his next step in life."

Cassidy sighed deeply though, taking a few moments before she continued.

"Instead of doing things like that, he goes to work after school. And if he's not working, then he's out there somewhere practicing to become a trainer." Cassidy revealed causing Dawn to frown slightly, a look of apprehension forming on her face.

"But why though? Why is he trying to become a trainer?" She asked, making eye contact with Cassidy once again. The older woman was a bit surprised by the honest concern Dawn had for Ash. Clearly, Ash had carved a little place in Dawn's heart.

"There are a lot of reasons…but I feel like the biggest reason is to help me. If it weren't for Ash, we probably wouldn't be living here." Cassidy admitted, shaking her head a bit. "Originally my husband had bought this place, but one thing led to another and now I'm the owner. Unfortunately, I don't have any income. We get a bit of support that covers our necessities, but Ash handles everything else."

"I don't understand. You said you're his caretaker, why aren't his parents doing anything?" Dawn asked, causing Cassidy to suck in her lower lip for a moment.

"His father disappeared…and his mother passed away a long time ago." Cassidy responded, and the mood in the room became somber.

"Oh…" Dawn looked down now. "So then, he's all alone."

"No, I wouldn't say that," Cassidy said immediately. "He has us."

Cassidy motioned to herself, and then to the corridor where they had previously been standing as a reference to the two younger girls.

"They may not be his sisters, and I may not be his mother, but you wouldn't know that based on the way he treats us." Cassidy declared. "He would work himself to death to keep us all together."

"So then…" Dawn paused for a moment, wondering if she should press further with her next question, or if it might have been too rude. Cassidy was a blonde, yet Casey had purple hair, and Macy was a brunette. They bore no resemblance to Cassidy, at least far as Dawn could see, so that left her to wonder… "Are those girls orphans as well?"

Cassidy nodded.

"They were orphaned when they were young," Cassidy replied with a sorrowful smile. "I took them into my care because…I guess you could say I'm trying to atone for some of my past mistakes."

"You're amazing," Dawn said suddenly, surprising Cassidy. "To just take them into your home and sacrifice everything for them. That's incredible."

Cassidy's cheeks reddened at the compliment. It wasn't often she was praised for the choices that she had made, but she was grateful that Dawn understood.

"So Ash is trying to become a Pokemon trainer for…the money? Is that what he's after?" Dawn inquired now. She wasn't aware of how trainers made their money, but from what she had seen in the news, these gangs or 'kingdoms' as Brock put it, do have some sort of income to provide for so many trainers.

"More or less, that's what he wants."

"He's an amazing artist though. Hasn't he tried to sell his art?" Dawn asked incredulously. Cassidy opened her mouth but hesitated to speak for a few moments as she worded her answer.

"He has tried. I remember he had approached a few directors about getting some of his work into a gallery. They turned him down." Cassidy stated, and Dawn's expression softened. "They were looking for artists with a…a body of work. Ash is unknown, and he told me that at his age, it'll take him years before anyone will acknowledge him."

Dawn leaned back into her seat. She understood what Ash was talking about. It wasn't easy to become a recognized artist during your youth, especially in Vermilion City which was known as a hub for the arts.

"What if I helped you all out?" Dawn asked and her expression brightened with this offer. "My dad makes a lot of money. What if he gave you some to help out around here, to make things easier?"

"We're not some charity case Dawn," Cassidy stated, and Dawn sunk into her seat at that. Cassidy pursed her lips, realizing she could have worded that a bit better. "I mean, believe me, Dawn, I'm incredibly touched that you would be willing to do such a thing for us. But I couldn't accept, _we_ couldn't accept. Ash wouldn't be happy about it. He's so hard-headed and stubborn. He doesn't know how to ask for help, even when he needs it."

Dawn crossed her arms in front of her chest with a huff. For everything that she had learned about Ash Ketchum since she had met him, Dawn never would've imagined that he was stubborn or hard headed. However, she did find this thought cute and amusing.

"You know Dawn, I'm glad you respect Ash's ability as an artist. You're an artist too, right?" Cassidy asked, causing Dawn to perk up. The bluenette gave her an energetic nod. "Ash lost his confidence when that gallery rejected him, and since then he's been more focused on becoming a trainer. I'm not much of an artist, so my opinion doesn't matter much to him, but I feel like if other artists reminded him of how good he is, he might stop pursuing Pokemon training so much."

Dawn nodded slowly at this, realizing why Serena had brought her here.

 _"…I've seen some of those paintings in his house. He's incredible! But he can't build on any of it."_

Serena understood everything that Ash was capable of. She could see that he was wasting his talents trying to become a Pokemon trainer. Dawn felt a sense of admiration for what Ash was trying to do, but she found herself agreeing with both Serena and Cassidy. Ash didn't need to become a Pokemon trainer in an attempt to solidify his life. He could do almost anything he wanted, and he was bound to find success! Cassidy knew that. Serena knew that.

Speaking of Serena…

"So what exactly made Ash and Serena break up then?" Dawn asked curiously, recalling that Cassidy had mentioned this to her earlier.

"There are other reasons Ash is trying to become a Pokemon trainer, and I shared them with Serena. She only has Ash's best interests at heart, but he didn't appreciate her trying to change his goals. This strained their relationship, and eventually, they broke it off." Cassidy explained. "I don't want the same thing to happen to someone else."

Dawn was taken aback when Cassidy suddenly took hold of both her hands as if to plead with her.

"That's why I'm making a different request for you Dawn. I want you to remind Ash of his true talents." Cassidy continued. "Becoming a Pokemon trainer is going to take him down a dark path, and if he commits to it, he won't turn back. So please, help him to see that there are other things that he can do with himself."

* * *

Monday, September 12th

"Hey, Dawn!" May called out to her friend as she pursued her through one of the corridors of the school. Dawn glanced back, containing her urge to giggle at May's willingness to shout over the chatter of the other students, who had all turned to look at her now. Dawn stepped off to the side, allowing the people being her to proceed as she waiting for May.

"What's going on, May?" Dawn asked once her friend was walking alongside her.

"The real question is what's going on with you? I was texting you all day Saturday and you didn't respond to any of them." May pointed out as she gave Dawn a suspect glance.

"Oh gosh, I was really busy May." Dawn explained as she pulled out her phone to check her message history. She hadn't looked at her phone at all over the weekend, and just as May had said there was a one-sided conversation from May that was completely unanswered. "I'm so sorry May!"

"I was beginning to think you didn't want to hang out with me anymore since you've been spending all of your time with Ash lately." May pointed out with a smirk, causing Dawn's cheeks to flush red.

"I have not!" Dawn protested.

"Oh really, so do you want a ride home with me after seventh period?" May asked with a twinkle in her eyes. She knew Dawn had spent every day last week with Ash in Ms. Fantina's room during eighth and ninth period.

"Uh well, I can't." Dawn said weakly, causing May to put a hand to ear as she leaned closer to Dawn.

"And why's that Dawn?" The brunette pressed.

"Cause I'll be…" Dawn trailed off before a thought crossed her mind that would allow her to change the subject for at least a few moments. "Wait for a second, I thought your parents took your car from you."

May quickly pulled her keys out of the side pocket of her backpack, flashing Dawn a grin of pride as her keys jingled.

"I'm the best daughter ever, so they gave it back to me," May responded before dropping her smile. She wasn't going to let Dawn get away. "But that's beside the point Dawn. Don't you want to accompany me for a little ride after seventh period?"

Unable to think of anything else to deter May's curiosity, Dawn gave in an admitted that she had been spending that extra time with Ash and riding him with him on the bus.

"I see, so you're dumping me for him huh?" May asked her playfully.

"May! You know I wouldn't do that." Dawn proclaimed.

"But I've been so lonely Dawn. I was away for the whole summer, and now that I'm back we haven't spent any time together outside of school." May pointed out as clasped her hands together, placing them over her chest. "I don't know how much more of this my heart can take."

Dawn rolled her eyes at May's antics, but she could understand her dear friend's point of view. They were only talking to each other at school.

"Okay, okay. I'll make it up to you then. This weekend we'll go out, girls only." Dawn suggested, earning a wide smile from May.

"I'm going to hold you to it," May said before giving Dawn a sly glance. "So now let's get down to business."

Dawn furrowed her brow as she looked at May.

"What did you do with Ash this weekend?"

Dawn's face became red at May's question.

"How did you know I went out with Ash?" Dawn exclaimed.

"Actually, I didn't. But you just confirmed it for me." May said, sticking out her tongue at Dawn. She pursed her lips, averting her gaze from May.

"You're the worst." Dawn commented, and May snickered in response.

"I love you too Dawn," May replied, giving Dawn a few moments to settle down. "So what did you guys do?"

"He took me to this little party that's all." Dawn replied, causing May to lean over toward her with a look of suspicion. Dawn continued to avoid eye contact with May, knowing full well what she had said wouldn't satisfy May's curiosity.

"That's it?" May asked, wrinkling her nose. Dawn nodded. "I don't know~, it sounds like your leaving out the juicy stuff."

"Nope, that's the whole story." Dawn stated as she looked at May once again. May frowned after studying Dawn's expression. She couldn't find any hints that Dawn was hiding something. May couldn't accept this though. She knew Dawn barely went out, mainly because of the curfew her parents had set, and there was no way Dawn could be this calm about her first party.

"Okay then…did you have a good time with Ash?" May asked her, and Dawn seemed to think about the answer for a few moments.

"Yeah…I did." Dawn said, nodding softly.

"So um, are you serious about him?" May inquired, and she raised her eyebrows at Dawn's quick reply.

"Yup. I really want to get to know him better." She said sternly, and May smiled at her.

"So you can get home on your own today?" May asked her, changing the subject suddenly.

"Uh yeah. I'm taking the bus."

"With Ash?"

"Not today, he has to get to work early." Dawn explained, noticing a twinkle in May's eyes before she darted off. Dawn tilted her head with a sigh as she watched May go, waving to her before she disappeared into the traffic of the halls.

* * *

May was seated behind the steering wheel of her sporty bright blue car that she had received from her parents. Resting on her nose was a pair of wide aviators as she drummed on the wheel to the beat of the song she was listening to. She was parked beside the field behind the school which was across the street from the school itself. Rather than having students struggle to cross the bustling streets of Vermilion City to get to this field, they built a bridge over the roadway to avoid any accidents.

This field was also the location of the bus stop that Ash and Dawn used to catch a ride over to the part of town Dawn lived in. Dawn had told her that she and Ash would be taking different buses today, so May's intention was to meet with Ash on her own.

May still didn't quite understand what it was Dawn saw in Ash. The only thing noteworthy, to her at least, was how well he could draw. Outside of that, he didn't really stand out. He wasn't a smiley person, he wasn't talkative or outgoing, or even that interesting. Yet Dawn was absolutely obsessed with him, going as far as to reject an afternoon at their favorite café together. There had to be something else about him, something that May would have to find on her own.

Leaning forward in her seat, May peeked over her sunglasses as she spotted Ash and Dawn exiting the small stairwell that connected to the bridge. They were chatting as they approached the pair of benches beside the bus stop. May couldn't help but notice how animated Dawn was as she spoke to Ash, and to May's surprise, Ash was almost matching it. They sat down on a bench, and May leaned back into her seat now as she watched them converse. It would be a few minutes before the first bus arrived, and May felt her heart jump into her throat as she realized she didn't know which of the two of them would be leaving first. All of this waiting would have been for nothing if Ash got on this bus.

Fortunately, May could breathe a sigh of relief as Dawn got onto this bus, leaving Ash alone at the bus stop. Knowing that she couldn't waste a moment now, May threw her car into gear and backed out of her spot. Swinging out of the parking lot, she turned onto the road and then pulled up onto the shoulder alongside the bus stop. Ash looked up curiously at her now, his brow furrowed and his confusion only seemed to intensify as May rolled down the window on the passenger side for him to see her.

"Hey." May called out to him after lowering the music, motioning for him to approach her car.

"Hey?" Ash replied slowly as he stood up and came over. He couldn't think of a reason for May to approach him like this, nor did he know much about the brunette. The two of them had only spoken on a few occasions and exchanged just a few words. Dawn had always been present, so this was the first time that he had ever spoken to May without Dawn with her.

"I heard you need a ride." May began as she unlocked the doors, motioning for him to get in. Ash looked at her funny and then opened his mouth to respond, but May immediately interjected with a - "Dawn told me."

Ash lowered his shoulders and tilted his head.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yeah, don't think anything of it." May said happily as he opened up the door and slid into the passenger seat.

"Did she give you a reason?" Ash pressed as he glanced at May who had been watching him closely. She lowered her aviators, revealing how intently she had been following his movements, examining everything about him.

"No, she didn't." May replied, refusing to break her gaze on Ash. This left him unsettled as he shifted in his seat. Pulling his seatbelt across his torso, Ash waited for her to start driving now, but May continued to stare at him. Then she leaned closer, causing him to straighten up uncomfortably, unable to figure out exactly what may was trying to do.

May was a little confused now. It was like Ash had gone back into a shell or something. Just a few minutes ago he had been holding a conversation where he was so bright. Now his reserved demeanor had set back as his expression remained neutral.

"Uh, is there something you want May?" Ash asked her tentatively, causing her to sigh exasperatedly before she returned her focus to the road.

"You know what Ash, I'm just going to be upfront with you. I want to get to know you better." May stated, leaving Ash dumbfounded.

"Um, why?"

"Does a girl need a reason?" She asked with a huff, looking at him expectantly.

"No…I was just curious is all." Ash replied immediately.

"So you don't mind then?"

"Well, I don't really think I'm in a position to refuse." Ash noted with a small chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. He was in her car, after all, accepting a free ride to his job.

"Okay, so I've known Dawn for a long time and she's an artist like you. She's got this whole, 'creative process.' I call it, _being weird._ Anyway, since you're obviously a good artist, I just wanted to know what you were like…like if you're similar to Dawn." May explained to him, and Ash put on another funny expression.

"So you want to know if I'm…weird?" Ash asked her. May opened her mouth to speak but froze upon realizing that she had talked herself into a corner. She didn't intend to lump him together with Dawn as 'being weird' as she put it, but Ash didn't seem to take any offense from her comment.

"Uh, yeah. Let's go with that." May said sheepishly, trying to laugh it off.

For a faint moment, May saw the corner of his lips curve upward as he snorted.

"Okay, so what do you want to know about me?" He asked as May took her foot off the brake and joined the traffic.

"Let's start with something easy. Where do you work?" May asked him.

"At Wallace's Craft store. It's this artsy little store uptown." Ash replied and May blew a raspberry.

"Figures you'd be working at an art store," May commented before a light bulb went off in her head. "So then, who taught you how to draw?"

Ash's expression darkened momentarily, although this went unnoticed by May's whose eyes were locked on the road.

"My mom taught me when I was little." He stated.

"Oh, so she was an artist or painter or something?"

"Um, not really. She just told me that her family had always been on the creative side. She says I inherited that from her." Ash explained, earning a nod from May.

"Cool." She said, moving on to her next question. "So~, what about nicknames? Do you have any?"

"Nothing serious really. I mean, there's a little someone I know that calls me Ashy, but no one has ever really given me a nickname." Ash responded.

"Lame," May stated, sticking her tongue out a bit. "Next question. Who knows you the best?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Ash, you're not some kind of hermit are you?" May said with a giggle. "It has to be your mom or dad, or maybe a sibling right?"

Ash chewed on his lower lip for a moment, gazing out the window.

"Actually, there is a lady who's raised me since I was young. Her name's Cassidy and I think it's fair to say she knows me pretty well." Ash explained.

"Oh, so she's like your nanny?"

"Yeah, if you want to call her that." He said with a nod.

"Alright then, do you have any siblings?" May went on, building on the subject of family since they had touched it.

"…Yeah." Ash said. His sisters may not have been related to him by blood, but he had known Casey since she was four, and had known Macy from the tender age of just nine months. The bond he shared with them was more than close enough for him to consider them his siblings.

"How many?" May went on.

"Two. Sisters actually."

"Do you have a favorite?" May asked with a small grin. Ash stopped to think about each of the girls.

He had known Casey for much longer, almost eight years. She had always been a handful throughout her childhood, and as she entered her teenage years Ash could only imagine how things would go from there. She was always very spirited and lively, always eager to act on her own at the drop of a hat. Ash admired how independent she wanted to be while she was so young.

Macy, on the other hand, was still so young and impressionable. She was only four after all. Sweet and innocent. She was like a ray of sunshine, forcing everyone around her to relax and smile no matter what was on her mind. Ash shook his head with a smile.

"I don't have a favorite." He stated.

"Oh please. I'm sure one of them must get on your nerves from time to time." May pointed out, recalling how often her younger brother would annoy her.

"Nope, they're both wonderful."

"Then I bet your parents have a favorite. They always spoil the youngest one after all." May said, speaking from experience. "If there are three of you I bet your youngest sister must be spoiled rotten."

Ash clenched his right hand into a tight fist, keeping a deep frown hidden from May.

-X-X-

 _Ash stood beside Cassidy within the moderately sized kitchen of their home, leaning on the counter as he watched Casey and Macy at the table, devouring their breakfast. Ash couldn't help but snort at the sight of Macy with syrup all over her mouth as she attacked what remained of her pancake._

 _"Here is your breakfast, Ash." Cassidy said as she lifted her small pan, sliding the pancake onto the empty plate beside him. "We're going to be eating light this week."_

 _Ash shrugged his shoulders in reply. This was nothing new for them. There were good weeks and bad weeks. Although the latter meant that they would be stretching out their meals._

 _"Can I have some more?" Macy asked as she looked over at Cassidy. The blonde woman raised her eyebrows for a moment before she turned her back to Macy, beginning to scan the counter for something that she could use to subdue Macy's appetite._

 _"I don't know sweetie." Cassidy mumbled._

 _Ash spent a moment watching Cassidy search for something she could give to Macy, and then he picked up his plate and approached the table where the two girls were seated. Tilting his plate, Ash plopped his pancake onto Macy's plate causing her eyes to brighten considerably as she looked up at him._

 _"Thanks, Ashy!" She exclaimed, watching as he took her knife and fork._

 _"Don't forget to share with your sister." Ash stated as he cut it in half. He cut Macy's portion up for her, and took the remaining half and placed it on Casey's plate. She looked up at him, a bit of uncertainty in her eyes. Ash merely winked at her in response._

 _Stepping back from the two, Ash felt his lips curve upward as they continued to eat. Out of the corner of his eyes though, he caught sight of Cassidy who was looking at him with a frown._

 _"Ash." She said in a low voice, motioning for him to come over to her with a small nod. "What are you_ _going to eat?"_

 _"I'll figure something out," Ash replied as he glanced back at the two girls. Macy ate without a care in the world, which was more than enough to put Ash at ease. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."_

-X-X-

Macy and Casey had endured so much already, some of it unknowingly. There was a lot about their lives that they were unaware of and probably wouldn't understand. So Ash wanted nothing more than to spoil both of them rotten if he was given the chance.

"Ash?" May asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

Ash blinked a few times, realizing that they had stopped at a red light. Looking at May, he could see that she had taken off her sunglasses to look at him directly. Ash licked his lips, noticing that they had become dry. How long had he gone silent for?

"I'm sorry, was I being insensitive?" May asked, but Ash shook his head. After posing her last question to Ash, May had assumed he was thinking deeply about his answer. She left him in his thoughts for a bit, but the silence had left her a little unnerved until she decided to check on him. "Did I say something to upset you?"

"No, you didn't." Ash said quickly, assuring her that he was alright.

"Okay then…why don't we change our focus? Ask me a few questions." May insisted, and after a few moments, Ash agreed. After taking some time to think of a few questions for the brunette beside him, Ash asked his first question.

"Alright May, what do you like to do with your free time?"

It was a simple question, and May gave a…not so simple answer. For all of the time he had spent around May and Dawn, he never would've guessed that May could turn into a total chatterbox. She shared everything with him, rambling endlessly. Walks on the beach. Tennis matches. Karaoke. Watching movies. The whole nine yards. Ash could plan an itinerary for a vacation just using May's hobbies.

"And I tried water skiing just once but that was a disaster so I don't really recommend it to people." May stopped to take a breath, and out of fear of her continuing Ash interrupted her.

"Okay May." He interjected. "How about we move on to the next question?"

"I still had a little more to say for the last one, but I guess we can move on," May replied, smiling a bit. Ash lowered his shoulders, sighing inwardly with relief. "Ask away Ash."

"Where do you see yourself in…five years?" Ash asked her, and this one kept May quiet for a little while.

"You know," She began after a long pause. "I've never really given this much thought. I just always figured that things would just fall into place around me."

Ash wrinkled his forehead, confused with her answer.

"So…you don't see yourself doing _anything_ in the future?" Ash reworded his question for her.

"No I mean, I just stopped thinking about the future since uh…" May stopped briefly, frowning a bit. "Anyway, I really haven't bothered trying to plan something out. I just see myself having fun."

"There's more to life than just having fun ya know." Ash pointed out.

May remained silent now as gathered her thoughts. For the past couple of years, she had only been looking to have a good time. She never gave anything else much thought.

"Isn't there something that you really want?" Ash continued as he waited for her answer.

Her parents were well off, so she got anything she wanted. She could do anything she wanted. There was no work required. She had a car on her sixteenth birthday and she didn't even ask for it, not that she would turn down this gift from her parents. May never really had to work for anything.

A certain green-haired young man flashed in her mind for a moment. The only thing she wanted and didn't have. Drew. She had been trying to win his attention for the longest time now, but as she thought about it now, she had barely put in any real effort. It had been dumb luck that she got to spend some time with him during their summer vacation.

"Yeah, there is something I'd like to get," May noted softly. "There's a guy I've been interested in for a while now, but I've never really done anything on my own to get his attention."

"What, are you waiting for him to make the first move?" Ash inquired curiously. He understood that normally guys would make the first move, but in this case, he couldn't see why May was hesitating.

"Er, well we _kind of sorta_ went on a date over summer vacation. He hasn't talked to me since though, so I just kind of thought he'd come and talk to me eventually." May replied nervously, and Ash was dumbfounded for a moment.

"Sometimes May… _you_ have to take the initiative and be the gutsy person who makes the first move. At the very least you won't regret letting him slip away while you did nothing." Ash said to her, and those words seem to resonate within May.

Living without regrets….

But wouldn't it be better to save herself the heartache of rejection, or the disappointment of a failed relationship?

"I…don't want to get hurt." May admitted after a little while. Ash shrugged his shoulders as he looked at May solemnly.

"None of us want to May. It's just that, there's no way to avoid it really. At some point, all of us are going to fall and get hurt, but the only option you have is to pick yourself back up and keep moving. It's as simple as that." Ash said, causing May to glance at him for just a moment. Time seemed to slow down for her as she took this glance at Ash. He was smiling, not a big smile by any means, but it was like he was sparkling. This was the first time the two of them had really spoken to each other, and yet she could feel the warmth and reassurance within Ash's expression. She knew for sure that he wanted her to find success.

It was then that May understood what Dawn must have been seeing in Ash. Even if it was for but a brief moment, she finally found the person that had so effortlessly captured Dawn's attention. It was a young man who was capable of pushing you to better yourself. Of course, someone as ambitious as Dawn would be attracted to him.

Setting her sights on the road again, May felt a smile creeping up on her face and a fire in her heart.

"Thanks, Ash. There's something I have to do once I drop you off." May stated, earning a smile from Ash as he gave her a nod. "And if you ever want to talk, I'm always here."

"Oh, that's awfully nice of you May. I really appreciate that." He said kindly to her.

* * *

Feeling the bus come to a halt, Dawn blinked several times as she looked out the window to check her surroundings. She breathed a sigh of relief that she was still about ten minutes from her stop. Looking back down at her lap, she saw that her sketchbook was resting there and the page was still blank despite how much time she had spent on the bus already.

Normally she had no trouble spending the entire bus ride sketching, but today she was distracted with many, many thoughts concerning none other than Ash Ketchum.

Everything that Cassidy had shared with her on Saturday was fresh on her mind. Prior to meeting that woman, she had no idea that Ash was an orphan or what his living situation was like. Biting down on her lower lip a bit, Dawn couldn't help but feel a touch of guilt in her chest for all of the times she had asked Ash to accompany her to her luxurious home. Might he have thought that she was flaunting her lifestyle at him?

Dawn shook her head a bit, tossing that thought out of her mind. Ash didn't seem like the type of person to get irritated over something like that. However, Dawn felt terrible for bothering him so much since they had first met. All that time he had spent showing her the bus route, the money he spent on round trips around the city. On the other hand, she never would've seen the real Ash Ketchum had she not gone out of her way to get to know him.

After talking to Cassidy though, Dawn felt as though she was caught between a rock and a hard place. She liked Ash, but with everything she had learned, there were so many questions on her mind about supporting him. He wanted to become a Pokemon trainer of all things, and his friends and family didn't want him to have any part in that.

 _"Don't get me wrong though Dawn, I hate what he's trying to do."_

 _"Becoming a Pokemon trainer is going to take him down a dark path, and if he commits to it, he won't turn back. So please, help him to see that there are other things that he can do with himself."_

So what was the right choice here? It was dangerous, not to mention illegal, to train and use Pokemon so she could understand the sentiments of everyone who didn't approve of Ash's goal. Dawn wouldn't dare call his dream stupid or illogical, but Ash wasn't doing himself any favors aiming to be a Pokemon trainer. There was just so much to consider!

Dawn exhaled loudly, and then her eyes widen as she realized there were other people seated around her, most of which had taken a glance at her now. Blushing a bit, she tried to laugh it off before hitting herself mentally.

"Next stop, Diglett's Boulevard." The driver called out, and Dawn began to gather her belongings.

She would figure out what to do…hopefully.

* * *

 **Tuesday, September 13th**

"Good mor~ning Dawn!" May said cheerfully, greeting her friend as she took her usual seat beside Dawn in their first period art class. Dawn wasn't surprised by May's energy despite how early it was in the morning, but the tremendous grin on May's face left Dawn wondering what had the brunette in such a good mood.

"Well, aren't you cheery today. Did something good happen?" Dawn asked her.

"You got that right." She said before glancing over her shoulder to take a look at the raven haired boy in the back of the class. As always he was focused on another one of his sketches, paying no mind to anyone around him. "And you could say it was thanks to Ash."

Now May had Dawn's full attention.

"Huh?" She almost exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"Whoa chill Dawn, I wasn't trying to make a move on your man or anything." May said with a wink, causing Dawn's cheeks to flush red.

" _May_ , stop saying stuff like that." Dawn whispered to her harshly as she looked around, hoping no one had heard that comment.

"Oh, so you don't want to know how I scored a date with Drew this weekend." May concluded, feigning pain as she placed a hand over her heart.

"Wait, what?" Dawn exclaimed. "How'd you do that?"

"So yesterday I decided to give Ash a lift to his job. And we just sort of talked on the way there." May explained with a small smile. "He's really down to earth and kind of insightful too."

"So how did this help you ask Drew out?" Dawn inquired, trying to put the pieces together.

"Well talking with Ash helped me put some things in perspective. He helped me to take the initiative with Drew." May went on. "I went straight to Drew's house after I dropped Ash off, and I just asked him."

"Just like that?" Dawn exclaimed, and May nodded with enthusiasm.

"Ye-up. I never would've thought it'd be that easy."

"Wow, you go May!" Dawn said, raising her hand for a high five. May only chuckled nervously though, looking away from her friend. Dawn narrowed her stare at May, her gaze becoming filled with suspicion. Whenever May laughed like that meant that there were strings attached to something. "So what exactly did you ask Drew, if you don't mind me asking?"

May pursed her lips for a moment, then she looked at Dawn and smiled.

"Well~, I sort of told him that a friend of mine was going on a date this Saturday, but she was nervous going out by herself, so I suggested we go on a double date to take some pressure off of her." May explained, and Dawn quickly realized where this was going.

"And who is this friend?" Dawn asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"You." May admitted, and Dawn wasn't surprised.

"Alright May, word for word. What did you tell Drew?" Dawn demanded to know.

"I told him that my friend Dawn is interested in the new guy at school, Ash Ketchum, so she asked him out this Saturday. But she's a little nervous, so she asked me to come along. Naturally, I don't want to be a third wheel so I wanted to bring a date of my own." May said, retelling what she had said on Drew's front porch yesterday. Dawn clicked her tongue.

"You know May, you're a real piece of work."

"And that's why-you-love-me~." She said in a sing-song voice, placing her index fingers on each of her cheeks.

"You're really lucky that I do May," Dawn said, rolling her eyes. "I just want to rip out my hair now."

"What for?"

"Don't get me wrong, I really want you to go on your date with Drew, but to do that I have to ask Ash to go on a date with me." Dawn explained. "I've never asked anyone out on a date before."

"Well, you were going to ask him out eventually, weren't you? Think of this as a little nudge in the right direction." May reasoned with her, and Dawn gave the brunette a sharp glance.

"This is way more than a _little_ nudge." Dawn muttered as she glanced back at Ash. How would she pull this off?

* * *

A/N

So this was a loaded, but a pretty laid back chapter. Hope you enjoyed it and a big thanks to all the people that have been following this story so far! We're working hard on this so the continued support is appreciated.

I think this chapter just about wraps all of the set up I had been talking about during the first five chapters. From here the pace will pick up a bit so I hope you're ready for this!

As always I have to thank my beta-reader MjrGenMatt for his amazing help! It's a blast working with him.

I won't bother saying anything else this time since it's the holiday season. See you all again in 2018!


	7. Perspective II

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Dawn sat through her art class with her head in the clouds, going through various scenarios of attempting to ask Ash out on a date. She didn't have any dating experience, to say the least. A few guys had approached her in the past, but she had always turned down their offers. Not to mention Dawn always thought it was up to the guys to make arrangements for a date, but now she found herself in their role for May's sake and she couldn't even imagine how she would do this.

Would the direct approach work?

Or perhaps maybe a little bribe was in order?

Ash was an artist though, so she could always do something creative…

The possibilities were endless, but for some reason, Dawn only saw herself getting rejected in the end. Her chest became tight with each thought of Ash turning her down, and this left her to wonder if all guys felt like this trying to ask someone out on a date.

Dawn snapped out of her thoughts as the bell chimed, ending first period. She didn't even realize that she had spent the entire class thinking rather than working. With a sigh, she rolled her eyes before looking toward May as she packed up her belongings.

"May?" Dawn whispered to her friend.

"Hmm?"

"I have no idea how to ask him." Dawn admitted, earning a small snort from May.

"It's easy Dawn." May said, causing the bluenette to deadpan.

"Didn't you make up a story just to ask Drew out?" Dawn asked her in return. May opened her mouth to speak but remained silent. Then she just motioned for Dawn to follow her as she rose from her desk, heading toward the back of the room where Ash was located.

"Hey Ash, I've got a little proposition for you." May stated as she leaned over him, causing him to look up at her with raised eyebrows.

"Uh okay? What is it?" He asked tentatively. May hadn't even greeted him; she just got straight down to business.

"Dawn and I made plans for a double date this Saturday. I have Drew as my date, but the guy Dawn was taking bailed on us. Would you mind filling in for him?" May explained, causing Ash to take a glance at Dawn who stood beside May.

Dawn could only stare at May though, amazed that she continued to twist this story to make this double date happen.

"We'll cover your meal and everything. All we need is your, _illustrious presence_." May said to him with a grin.

Ash snickered at this as he leaned back into his seat.

"When you put it that way, how could I say no?" Ash said before giving them a nod. "Yeah, I'll go."

"Perfect, I'll fill you in on the rest of the details this Friday m'kay." May said as she nodded, leaving Dawn absolutely stupefied. Dawn had spent the last forty minutes trying to come up with a decent way to pose this question to Ash, and in forty seconds May got it done. If it was so easy for her to ask Ash out, why couldn't she do the same thing with Drew?

"I'll be looking forward to this," Ash said to Dawn, causing her cheeks to redden a bit. "Do you know what May has planned?"

"I think I'm going to find out the same time as you." Dawn replied with a small chuckle.

* * *

 **Thursday, September 15th**

It was lunchtime and Dawn, May and Nando were seated outside of the cafeteria, shielded from the sunlight by an umbrella mounted at the center of their table.

"So Dawn, I think I'm done putting the finishing touches on our plans for Saturday." May proclaimed, earning everyone's attention.

"Oh my, what kind of trouble are you getting into this weekend May?" Nando asked with a sly smirk. May blew a raspberry at him in response.

"I don't know what you're talking about," May stated with a scoff, flipping her hair with one hand. "I've never gotten into any trouble in my life."

"Really?" Nando said, looking at her expectantly. "A little bird told me something about a ton of parking tickets you racked up this summer."

May blushed hard now, her composure vanishing almost instantly.

"It was only a few~!" She protested.

"May, the glove compartment in your car practically exploded when you opened it. There was a lot more than a few." Dawn pointed out.

"Ugh, where's my best friend when I need her?!" May exclaimed, earning a laugh from Dawn. "Whatever! None of that even matters! Don't you want to hear about Saturday Dawn?"

"Of course I do, so long as you're not driving me anywhere." Dawn replied, causing Nando to stifle a laugh. He then raised a hand to high five Dawn as May looked at them incredulously.

"Let's keep things civil or I might find someone to replace you as Ash's date. We'll see who's laughing then." May retorted.

"You wouldn't even think of it." Dawn challenged her.

"Don't tempt me." May responded, wagging a finger at Dawn.

"What are you two going to be doing with Ash?" Nando asked curiously, leaning forward in his seat.

"We've got a double date with Ash and Drew this Saturday." May revealed to him, and Nando's mouth hung open for just a moment. He quickly caught himself and his brief lack of composure went unnoticed by the girls.

"It was…a spur of the moment kind of thing." Dawn added, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm really there to give May support."

Remembering that Drew had been May's heartthrob, Nando couldn't help but smile faintly at her since she had finally mustered the courage to ask him on a date.

"So you finally spoke to him?" Nando asked her, receiving a nod from the brunette.

"Yeah. I gave Ash a ride to his job earlier this week and we talked…a lot." She explained to him. "It helped me put some things in perspective. I went to Drew's house and asked him out on a date, and I figured I might as well bring some friends along. So Ash and Dawn are my plus two."

Nando felt his chest tighten a bit at this statement as several thoughts flashed through his mind. What in the world made May choose Ash of all people to be Dawn's date? Was one conversation with Ash really enough for May to make this decision?

'Why would she pick Ash to accompany Dawn instead of me?' Nando asked himself before blinking hard. Shoving this thought to the back of his mind though, Nando then adjusted his focus to the subject at hand and posed a new question for the girls. "I haven't really had a chance to speak with Ash, but uh…what do you two think of him?"

"He's actually pretty cool Nando," May stated, cutting off Dawn before she could give her input. "I had no idea he was so down to earth. But at the same time, after you talk to him for a while, you just feel kind of…inspired to do something with yourself."

Nando straightened up in his seat. That was high praise coming from May. As much as May tried to dismiss it, it was no secret that she was indecisive. If Ash was 'inspiring' her to take action, there was certainly more to his character than Nando had first thought.

"Yeah, I really like the way you put it May." Dawn said with a nod of agreement. She had been trying to find the best way to describe what it was like when she was around Ash. Now she had that word.

Inspiring.

Nando took a moment to study the expression on each of them. They had both stopped as if to admire Ash even though he wasn't present. Shaking his head a bit, Nando decided to move the conversation along now since they had veered off topic a few times now.

"So what are you plans for this weekend?" Nando asked again.

"Saturday, right." May began as her focus returned. "So this is how it's going to go down."

May waved her hands through the air as if to set the scene for them.

"We'll meet at my parent's beach house and the skies will be clear. We'll all go down onto the beach in the early afternoon, and at a pier will be a speedboat to take us parasailing in pairs. As the sun sets on the horizon, Drew and I will be together admiring it. Then he'll look into my gorgeous eyes and fall in love with me on the spot!" May exclaimed as she looked up gleefully.

Dawn and Nando deadpanned.

"May I think you've been watching too many romantic comedies." Nando commented.

"You can't blame a girl for dreaming." May shot back at him.

"So your parents are cool with us using their beach house?" Dawn inquired.

"Yup, they okay'd everything already. We'll even have a chef there to make us a late lunch or early dinner, plus a driver for the speed boat." May explained, leaving Dawn impressed.

"Well excuse me. May's pulling out all the stops for this one." Dawn said playfully.

"I can't hold anything back. So wish me luck Nando." May said as she looked toward him. Nando gave her a small smile to assure her that everything would go as she hoped. "And Dawn, be there early Saturday so we can check out each other's swimsuits."

"Wow, you're covering every little detail huh?" Dawn asked her, and May gave her an earnest nod.

"This is going to be special! So let's make something great happen Dawn." She said raising her hand for a high five. Dawn laughed at May's enthusiasm and slapped her hand, eager to see how this date would play out as well.

This was a great opportunity for her to get to know Ash better. There were so many questions she had, and now the perfect setting had been arranged for her. She wouldn't let this go to waste.

* * *

 **Saturday, September 17th**

Johanna couldn't dispel the butterflies in her stomach as she put her car in park, glancing toward the glistening beach house that belonged to May's father. She knew the Maples very well. Their daughters had been two peas in a pod since grade school, so Johanna had no problem with allowing Dawn to spend the day with May on the beach.

Dawn had revealed to her that they had invited a pair of boys to keep them company. In all of her years in school, Dawn had never really had much of an interest in the boys she had met. She only interacted with a select few guys, such as Nando who Johanna was also well aquatinted with. For a change though, it seemed as though a boy had captured her attention completely.

Dawn was actually blushing as she tried to explain her plans to Johanna earlier this morning. Now looking at her daughter as she stepped out of the passenger side of the car, Johanna could barely stop the corners of her lips from curving upward.

Her daughter had always been so focused, ever since she was young. Once she set her sights on something, she devoted all of her effort to it. It was refreshing to see Dawn shift her focus to something a little more easy-going.

"Alright Dawn, no trouble now." Johanna said to her daughter as she retrieved her bag from the backseat of the car.

"Of course mom, we're not going to be doing anything stupid." Dawn replied pointedly to assure her mother that there were no unusual arrangements.

"Alright. Do you need me to pick you up later?"

"Nope, May's going to give me a ride home."

"She got her car back?" Johanna asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Wow, it's like no one can believe it." Dawn noted with a laugh.

"Well, I just thought with all of those parking tickets that-"

"Wait you know about those?" Dawn interjected, causing her mother to reach for her phone that was resting on the dashboard.

"Yeah, Caroline sent me a picture of when she and Norman found them." Johanna replied as she turned her phone to Dawn, showing her a picture of the tickets that May had racked up. Dawn burst into a fit of laughter at the sight of this.

"I'll see you later tonight. Don't save anything from dinner for me though." Dawn said with a smile as she hoisted her backpack onto one shoulder and shut the back door. She then gave her mother one last wave before she approached the entrance of the beach house.

Johanna laughed inwardly as she watched her daughter. Dawn always had a bright and cheery personality, but Dawn's happiness felt even more genuine right now. Almost as if she had found some sort of magic. Perhaps that boy she was meeting today. Whatever it was, Johanna was glad to see her daughter enjoying herself like this.

Releasing the parking brake, Johanna swung around the roundabout that led up to the house, beginning her ride back home.

After ringing the doorbell, Dawn only had a wait a few moments before the door opened, revealing May in a green two-piece swimsuit, posing for her with a peace sign.

"You put your hair up May!" Dawn exclaimed upon spotting May's high ponytail. May had pulled back all of her hair, even the long bangs that framed her face. "You look so cute!"

"Oh thank you, thank you," May said, turning around to wave as though she was being photographed. "I know I'm wonderful, you don't have to remind me."

"Way to kill it May." Dawn said in a deadpan as she brushed past her friend, entering the home that May's family owned.

It was spacious and secluded from the public areas of the beaches on the southern tip of Vermilion City.

"You know May I've been meaning to ask you this. Why does your family rent a beach house in the same city you guys are living in?" Dawn inquired as she looked back at her friend who had followed her into the living room.

"Well actually, this is more like my dad's backup house. If he does something stupid and gets kicked out by mom, this is where he'll hide for a couple of days until she cools off." May explained with a sheepish laugh.

"What could make your mom that angry?"

"Oh, a couple of things. Like the time he forgot their twentieth anniversary…" May trailed off, deciding that it was best not to delve too deep into this subject. "Anyway~, let me see your swimsuit. It's only one o'clock so the guys won't be here for at least half an hour."

"Alright, just don't say anything embarrassing May."

"No promises, but I'll be outside when you're ready."

* * *

Dawn stepped out onto the back porch of the house, placing a hand on her forehead to block the sun above her so that she could take in the scenery. It was beautiful.

The ocean water was sparkling under the sunlight, with palm trees dotting the property line. It was like a scene straight out of a movie. This small perfect beach was for them alone.

Approaching the edge of the porch, Dawn placed her hands on the banister as she peered out at the beach. It was almost surreal how perfect it all looked.

"Whoo~, _look at you_!" May hollered at Dawn, snapping her out of her little daze. Looking down, Dawn spotted May standing just beneath the porch, struggling to drag a pair of umbrellas, blankets and a drink cooler further out onto the beach. Obviously, May had dropped everything to admire Dawn's attire though.

Dawn wore a bright blue two-piece swimsuit with her hair tied up into a bun and a sarong wrap around her waist. May gave her a thumbs up and a grin of approval, which Dawn returned.

"What are you doing down there May?" Dawn asked as she watched May return to her struggle.

"I wanted to set up the blankets and umbrellas before they got here!" May answered causing Dawn to wrinkle her forehead.

"Leave that for the boys. I'm sure they'll need something to do." Dawn replied as she quickly skipped down the staircase, joining May on the white sand.

"You're absolutely right Dawn, good call," May stated as she dropped everything a second time. Ash and Drew would make quick work of this. "I'll go check on the driver to see when he'll be ready for us."

Dawn cracked a smile at May as she ventured down to the water where a small wooden dock was located with the boat waiting for them. The brunette began to speak animatedly to the driver who was performing his final check of the watercraft.

Hearing the doorbell chime from inside the house, Dawn realized that was her cue since May was busy. Dashing up onto the porch, she dusted off her feet before she went into the house to answer the door. Opening up the entrance she found none other than Ash Ketchum waiting outside in a white t-shirt and cargo shorts. For a change though, Ash wore a red and white cap on his head with an incomplete green triangle on it. Ash shot her a grin as their eyes met.

"Hey Dawn, this is a nice place you got here." He commented as she stepped aside, inviting him in.

"It's not mine. May's family owns it." Dawn replied. Ash gave her a nod as before she guided him into the living room where he could set down his belongings. "There's a bathroom down the hall if you want to change."

"Nice, thanks." Ash said as he began to rummage through his backpack to retrieve his swim trunks.

Ash could hardly control the grin on his face as he pulled out his trunks. Yesterday May had been giving him the information about where to meet and at what time for their plans today, and she went through a lot of trouble trying to keep everything secret. She caught herself multiple times, but in the end, she still spoiled the secret by telling him to make sure he brought swim trunks. This left Ash excited though since he only went to the beach once in a blue moon. Now though he would have the privilege of using a private beach, so he couldn't wait!

Returning in his swim trunks and t-shirt now, Ash spotted Dawn standing out on the porch. Stepping out there to join her, Ash marveled at the incredible view they had which quickly earned Dawn's attention.

"What do you think?" Dawn asked him, watching as a wide smile formed on his face.

"This is amazing." He replied as he raised his arms, stretching them out a bit.

"Just a forewarning, May is going to put you to work as soon as she sees you." Dawn informed him, and Ash tilted his head in confusion.

"Wait, she invited me here to put me to work?" Ash asked in return, but as Dawn opened her mouth to reply, May caught sight of Ash on the porch.

"Ash!" She bellowed from the beach below. She waved both her arms to get his attention. "Get your butt down here!"

"I hope I'm getting paid for this." Ash muttered, getting a laugh from Dawn as he went down the staircase where May was waiting for him.

"I'm so glad you could make it Ash, but I have a little problem that I need your muscles to take care of." May said as she tapped his bicep as if to gauge his strength.

"Uh sure, what is it?"

"Under the porch, you'll find some blankets, umbrellas and a drink cooler. Get all of that stuff out on the beach for us ASAP. " May said as she pointed to the items that were leaning against the staircase. Ash looked at her for a moment, so May clapped her hands in response. "Let's get moving. We're treating you to dinner after all. Not to mention you have Dawn all to yourself."

Ash rolled his eyes with a small chuckle before he collected all of the items in his arms and jogged further out onto the beach with them. While Ash made quick work of the task May had given him, the brunette joined Dawn up on the porch. Watching her friend for a moment, May could see that her eyes were fixated on Ash, following his every movement.

"Sheesh, Dawn quit drooling." May said and Dawn's head snapped to the side to give May a narrow stare.

"I was not!" She protested.

"Says you." May retorted.

"May!" Dawn said sharply, causing her to laugh.

"Hey Dawn, listen to this," May whispered before she cupped her hands around her mouth. "Ash! Each umbrella gets a pair of blankets! If you want to you can set up the ones for you and Dawn extra close!"

"May!" Dawn practically shouted as she slapped her hand over May's mouth. Her friend only giggled in response, finding Dawn's embarrassment more than amusing. The doorbell chimed again, getting a gasp from May.

"Let's go!" May shouted in an effort to hype herself up. Then she darted off into the house, leaving Dawn alone on the porch to laugh her May's excitement. Dawn wasn't alone for long though since Ash was already coming back up the staircase.

"Is she always like this?" He asked Dawn once he was standing beside her. May was quite a curious character to him. Nothing about her made any sense to him.

"Yeah, kind of. She's had the biggest crush on Drew for ages, so this is a pretty big step for her." Dawn revealed, and Ash smiled softly at this. His little talk with May might have actually stuck with her.

"Well, I'm rooting for her then." Ash said before May returned, leading Drew by the hand out onto the porch. Dawn raised her eyebrows at the sight of May holding Drew's hand, but she didn't make much of it as May began to introduce everyone.

"Alright, we've got everyone here now," May exclaimed as she motioned to the group of four. "I don't know if you guys have met yet."

May motioned to Ash and Drew with each of her hands, and the two of them took a step toward each other.

"Nice to meet ya." Drew said as he extended a closed fist toward Ash who smirked a bit. They bumped fists and gave each other a nod leaving the girls to wonder if they might have been communicating telepathically.

"And this is Dawn." May added, directing his attention to her blue-haired friend.

"Oh yeah, I've seen Dawn around at school. I don't think we've ever had any classes together though." Drew replied as he bumped fists with Dawn as well.

"I don't think so now that you mention it. But hey, you're here now aren't cha?" Dawn said in response, and Drew gave her a nod of agreement.

"I have to let the chef know in advance to prepare for us, so when do you guys want to eat?" May asked the group.

"Heck I'll eat right now." Ash said with a laugh. The others shared in his laughter, but they all agreed to eat later on. May then led them down to the dock for everyone to take a closer look at some of the activities she had planned, and the boys were very impressed.

"Dang May, you really know how to treat people." Drew noted, getting a blush of embarrassment from her.

"What can I say, hospitality is my specialty." She said cutely.

"Can we try out parasailing right now?" Drew asked, getting an immediate nod from May.

"Of course, let's do it!" She replied as she motioned to the driver that they would be going now. As the driver began to show Drew and May how to strap themselves into the seat, Ash and Dawn were left to decide how they would pass the time.

"What do you want to do?" Ash asked her, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I was going to ask that." She muttered. "But uh…I guess I'll just go sit back for now."

"Eh, I'll keep you company then." Ash said, earning a 'thanks' from Dawn as they ventured over to the blankets and umbrella Ash had set up a few minutes ago. Soon enough the two of them were seated under the shade of the umbrella and although Ash hadn't taken May's suggestion to heart, Dawn couldn't help but notice that they were still kind of close together. Ash didn't seem to mind though as he laid back on the blanket beside her.

"So Dawn, are you going to try out parasailing later on?" Ash asked as he rolled onto his side to look at her.

"I'm a little nervous actually." She admitted. "I've never done anything like that before."

"Neither have I…so I guess that means we have to do it. There's a first time for everything after all." Ash said, and Dawn nodded a bit in agreement.

Silence then set in between them as Dawn sat back, watching as May and Drew finished strapping themselves into the chair with a parachute tied to the back of it. They signaled the driver, and then the speed boat roared to life. It raced out into the water, hoisting Drew and May into the air. They could hear May all the way back here as she screamed, earning a laugh from the duo.

"So Ash, can I ask you something?"

Ash perked up at this, glad that a conversation was starting.

"I don't see why not." He responded.

"I heard that you wanted to be a Pokemon trainer. Is that true?"

Ash remained silent for a moment. He knew that Dawn would ask him about this at some point. After all, she had been there the night they had seen N and Sydney have a Pokemon battle. Settling onto his back now, he pulled his cap down onto his forehead, using the visor to hide his eyes from her.

"Yeah…I do." He stated.

"But why? You know Pokemon are dangerous, right?" Dawn asked, causing him to sigh deeply.

"What makes you say they're dangerous?" Ash asked her in return.

"Are you kidding me right now Ash? Just look at the news. Like every three or four days there's a story about some thugs with Pokemon vandalizing some part of the city." Dawn pointed out to him. "And that's _just_ in Vermilion City."

"Pokemon will reflect their trainers…unfortunately." Ash paused, frowning for a bit. "If their trainer is a brute, then that Pokemon will act accordingly."

"I don't know Ash. I mean, don't you think there's a reason people separated themselves from Pokemon?"

"For all you know Dawn, the Pokemon may have left us. We build skyscrapers and drive cars everywhere. Who knows if the Pokemon want to live in the environment we've built." Ash pointed out.

"It sounds to me like our cities protect us from Pokemon Ash. There's no telling what life would be like if Pokemon ran wild through the places we live in." Dawn explained, causing him to lift up his cap so that he could look at her.

"Alright then Dawn, what do think life would be like if we had to live with Pokemon?" Ash inquired. Dawn stopped herself from responding immediately, using this opportunity to think about what it might have been like.

All the news reports she had seen concerning Pokemon _always_ showed scenes of panic and chaos. Only a few Pokemon were capable of causing total mayhem in a small area…so if they lived with thousands of Pokemon, Dawn could only see pandemonium as the end result.

"It wouldn't work." Dawn stated, shaking her head a bit and that was all Ash needed to hear though.

He was seated upright now, adjusting his cap on his head with a small smile.

* * *

When Drew and May returned from their ride, Ash and Dawn were waiting for them on the dock, ready to have their first parasailing experience.

"Oh my god, that was amazing!" May squealed as she and Drew unstrapped themselves from the double seat so that they could climb out onto the dock. Drew was the first to do so before he offered May a hand to help her out.

"Definitely," Drew added. "That view was incredible. Do you want to take another ride later May?"

"Of course Drew." She replied before they stepped aside, allowing Ash and Dawn to take their seats.

"Have fun you two." Drew said with a wave as he and May began to head back to the beach, leaving Ash and Dawn alone.

Dawn was slightly unnerved as she locked in the restraints around her torso. Ash had become pretty quiet for the last several minutes, and she wasn't sure if what she had said might have upset him. That was the last thing she wanted considering what Cassidy had shared with her about Ash and Serena's previous relationship.

The best course of action was just to talk with Ash though. He _might_ have been stubborn, but Dawn was sure that he wouldn't become petty over a comment she made, especially since he had asked for it.

"Um…Ash?" Dawn said.

"Hmm?"

"You're not mad or anything…are you?" Dawn asked him softly as they finished adjusting in their seats.

"Mad?" Ash wrinkled his forehead as he looked at her. "Why would I be mad?"

"Well, you haven't said much in a while now. I just wanted to make sure I didn't offend you earlier." Dawn explained, causing him to chuckle a bit.

"Dawn, everyone has an opinion. I have no control over that." He said simply. "What I can do, is try to change your opinion though."

He was smiling as he said that, the same smile that Dawn had seen him wear around his friends at the subway station last week.

"Alright, everything looks good." The driver noted as he gave their restraints one final check. He then pointed to Ash's cap. "Are you sure you want to wear that hat? There's no way it'll stay on your head out there."

"No worries man, it'll be fine." Ash said as he gave the driver a thumbs up. The driver shrugged his shoulders before returning the gesture, then he went to his seat behind the steering wheel and stepped on the throttle a few times. The boat roared before surging forward. Ash and Dawn had a moment to brace themselves before the chair was yanked out onto the water, skating across the surface as the parachute opened up. Dawn shrieked as they rose into the air, soaring over the ocean now.

"WHOO~!" Ash screamed as he looked around. He could see everything from up here. The beaches that stretched out across the southern tip of Vermilion City and if he looked in the opposite direction, he saw the vast ocean that seemed go on forever. "This is amazing!"

Looking at Dawn now, Ash realized that she was latched onto his arm, her eyes tightly shut. She had yet to open her eyes since they had gotten airborne, and she was missing everything!

"Dawn, open your eyes. You gotta see this!" Ash said to her, nudging her a bit with his arm. Dawn only grasped his arm tighter, shaking her head. "Come on Dawn, if you don't see this yourself what are you going to tell May and Drew? That you were too big a chicken to look around?"

"I am not a chicken," Dawn stated indignantly as she opened just one eye, taking a peek at her surroundings. Needless to say, she had both her eyes open in an instant to take in this breathtaking scenery. "…Wow."

"Hmm, look at that." Ash said as he looked down beneath them. Below the surface of the water, he could see a couple of Mantine following the trail that the speedboat was leaving the water.

"What are they doing?" Dawn asked as she spotted what Ash was looking at.

"How about we find out?" Ash suggested, causing Dawn's eyes to widen as he began to release the restraints that held him to the chair.

"Ash, are you crazy!" She hollered at him.

"Dawn, jump with me." He said to her.

"No way!" She exclaimed. "We'll definitely get hurt, possibly worse if we jump."

"No, we won't."

Dawn opened her mouth to continue protesting, but she looked into Ash's eyes and swallowed her initial response.

"How do you know?" She asked him.

"You just have to trust me."

Never…not once in a million years would Dawn have _ever_ considered doing something like this. Yet the moment she looked into Ash's eyes, it was like she had been put at ease. Somehow, someway, Ash made it feel like this idea of his wasn't as crazy as it sounded.

Dawn gulped and then nodded to him. Together they released her restraints as well, and then Ash extended an opened hand to her. She placed her hand in his and leaned forward. Dawn screamed as she and Ash slid out of the chair, holding hands as they began to descend toward the water below. Feeling her heart jump into her throat, Dawn shut her eyes as the water drew close, bracing herself for impact. Ash, on the other hand, kept his eyes wide open, allowing him to see as the water parted beneath them, revealing one of the Mantine's that had been following the speedboat.

There was a gust of wind, and Dawn was certain her hair tie had been lost as her long locks whipped about. Suddenly though, her freefall came to an immediate halt and she felt something soft and smooth beneath her. Opening her eyes slowly tentatively for the second time in the span of a few minutes, Dawn had to tuck the hair in front of her face behind her ears before she discovered that she was resting on the back of a Mantine with Ash beside her. His hat was gone now, but he didn't seem to mind at all now as he was absolutely enthralled with Mantine.

"Thanks, Mantine!" Ash said as he ran his hand across the slick back of the water Pokemon.

Dawn remained silent, speechless in fact. She couldn't find the words to describe what had just taken place.

Did Ash know that the Mantine would cushion their fall? How did he know that?

 _"Pokemon will reflect their trainers…"_

This Mantine didn't have a trainer though…so did that mean it was friendly, to begin with?

Mantine gave a shout of delight, slapping the surface of the water with her wings. There was a splash behind them, causing both Ash and Dawn to turn around where they found a smaller version of Mantine hopping toward them. On her head was Ash's cap, and she was smiling brightly at them.

"Whoa, a Mantyke!" Ash noted as the small Pokemon approached him, returning his cap. "Thank you so much. I lost it on the trip down so I didn't think I would find it again."

"Man-tyke!" She said happily as Ash took his cap and donned it once again. He then fearlessly reached toward Mantyke and placed a hand on top of her head as a greeting. She smiled up at Ash before looking toward Dawn, and without a thought, she approached Dawn next. Dawn seemed slightly unnerved, but she couldn't deny how cute Mantyke was. Slowly she reached out toward Mantyke and the Pokemon met her halfway almost surprising the bluenette. She gave an affectionate coo and Dawn was put at ease.

"Whoa…" Was all she managed to say before Ash heard the speed boat coming toward them. Mantine descended down into the water, and Mantyke quickly followed her, leaving Ash and Dawn afloat in the water. As the speedboat pulled up alongside them, they were greeted by an irate driver.

"Are the two of you frickin' crazy?! You could've killed yourselves pulling a stunt like that!" He barked at them, extending a hand toward Dawn to help her back into the boat. Dawn swallowed a gasp though as Mantine came up beneath her, lifting her up so that she could climb into the boat with ease. The driver was a bit startled, wondering why Dawn was so light. Then he reached for Ash and was startled to see a large shadow looming beneath him in the water. "Ah, AH!"

The driver stumbled and fell back into the boat, so Mantine gave Ash a boost into the boat as well, earning a thanks from the raven-haired young man. The driver stared at Ash incredulously as he finished climbing into the boat.

"Wha-What was that?!" He exclaimed as he came back to the edge of the boat, peering over the edge in search of the shadow.

"It was a Pokemon." Ash noted, but the driver didn't relax at this.

"Ugh, let's just get back to the shore." He stated, returning to his seat behind the steering wheel.

Any discussion on the return trip was monopolized by the driver of the boat as he berated the two of them for jumping from the seat. Ash quickly took the brunt of the blame, insisting that he talked Dawn into doing it with him and telling the driver that if he should be upset with anyone, it should be Ash. In the end, the driver stated that he wouldn't be willing to take Ash back out for a second trip, and Ash only shrugged his shoulders at this.

Dawn was watching Ash the entire time, and after a while, they finally made eye contact. Briefly, Ash raised his eyebrows at her before looking back out at the ocean to the south.

When they arrived at the dock, Drew and May were waiting for them there. They had seen Ash and Dawn jump from their seats and were anxiously waiting to see if their friends were okay.

"What happened out there you guys?" May asked as she and Drew began to hound Ash and Dawn.

"I was feeling a little crazy, so I asked Dawn if she wanted to jump." Ash explained casually as though it were nothing serious.

"Dang man, you're insane." Drew commented. He had thought that something had caused them to fall out of the seat. He never would've guessed that they had actually jumped from it.

"And you actually went along with it Dawn?" May exclaimed as she looked toward her friend who had a hand on her chest. It hadn't been too long since the drop, so her heart was still racing from the adrenaline rush.

"I guess…I was feeling a little crazy too." She replied with a small laugh.

"But you guys were way up there, how did you not get hurt from that fall?" Drew asked curiously as he and Ash began to walk toward the umbrellas and blankets that had been set up.

"Well actually-" As Ash began to retell the tale for Drew; May took Dawn by the wrist and began walking further down the beach to separate them from the boys.

"What's the matter May?" Dawn asked once May came to a stop. Now that they had some distance from the boys, May looked at Dawn with one brow raised and her lips curved upward. "What's with that look May?"

"Dawn, you never, and I mean, _never_ do crazy crap like that." May pointed out to her. "Do you like him that much?"

Dawn's cheeks turned bright red at this question.

"What are you talking about May?"

"Dawn I tell you this all the time. There's a reason my mom loves you so much. She keeps telling me that you're levelheaded and you'll keep me out of trouble. And you know what, I actually agree with her. So either you have some crazy side you've been hiding from me, or someone's got your heart on a string." May said, giving Dawn a sly glance.

Did she like Ash? Dawn had asked herself this already, but she had yet to have a concrete answer that she could settle on. The funny thing was that it seemed like everyone else knew the answer.

What was it about Ash that made him stand out compared to every other guy she met?

Was it…his unwavering determination…?

She had seen this from him on numerous occasions already, but she couldn't deny how attractive he seemed when demonstrating this quality. Even with the comments she had made about Pokemon, he didn't lash out at her…in fact, that only seemed to fire him up. He was even willing to put himself at risk to show her what Pokemon were truly like. Dawn couldn't think of another person that would go to such lengths.

* * *

"Dude that is one handsome sandwich!" Drew exclaimed as he received his beautifully crafted submarine sandwich from the chef.

"Glad you think so." The chef replied with a chuckle as he bowed to the group of four that were seated around the island at the center of the kitchen.

Each of them had ordered a sandwich from the chef who had been astonished by their choice. He was fully capable of preparing some of the best gourmet meals, but he wouldn't complain about their choices.

"If you all need anything else, don't hesitate to call." The chef added after pouring each of them a glass of iced tea. Giving them a smile before he left, the group was left to chat quietly as they ate.

"Hey Drew, do you want to join me on the porch?" May asked him curiously. Drew glanced at her and noticed that she was motioning toward Ash and Dawn with her head. He then understood what May was getting at and gave her a nod.

"Yeah, I don't see why not." He replied as he picked up his plate and drink.

As May did the same, she gave Dawn a small wink before they left her and Ash alone in the kitchen.

"Alone again," Ash noted while Dawn cast a halfhearted glare a May's back as she left them. "You'd almost think May was trying to set us up together."

Dawn remained silent though, trying to gather her thoughts.

"That reminds me, who's the guy I was lucky enough to replace today?" Ash inquired, causing Dawn to furrow her brow for a moment.

"Huh?" Dawn replied then her eye widen momentarily as she remembered how the arrangements had been made for today to take place. "Oh right…it was um…"

Dawn trailed off after a moment. She had forgotten about the story that had been made up for both of the boys they had invited. Shaking her head, Dawn decided that now was the best time to drop this façade.

"You know Ash, that was just a story we made up." Dawn stated, and Ash raised a brow at her now. "May kind of chickened out when she was asking Drew out on this date. So she made up this story that I had a date with you, but that she had to bring someone to make it a double date. That's how she got Drew to agree."

"…And then you didn't actually have a date. So you…asked me." Ash concluded, filling in the gaps. Dawn gave him a nod and Ash began to laugh. "So she didn't invite me for my ' _illustrious presence_?'"

Dawn stifled a laugh, recalling that May had described Ash as such to convince him to come.

"Oh well, I wouldn't say that. After spending the afternoon with you I can _safely_ say that I had a good time with you." Dawn commented, and the emphasis on 'safely' reminded Ash of their reckless jump.

"I hope that jump we did earlier didn't scare you too much."

"My heart was in my throat," Dawn stated. "And then we landed on the back of that Pokemon, I thought I was going to die. But it didn't take me long to realize that…I had nothing to fear about them."

Ash placed his elbow on the countertop and hid his mouth behind his hand, watching Dawn closely as she spoke. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold back a smile, so the least he could do was keep it covered for now.

"I've _never_ been that close to a Pokemon…and I've never touched one of them either. It was weird being so close to them because…well, I dunno how to explain it really. Kind of like…I felt what you were talking about earlier. Once I relaxed, I felt them relax with me." Dawn explained, looking up as she pieced together her thoughts. "It was like I connected with them for a just a moment and it was…it was incredible."

"I'm glad you got to experience that." Ash said as he moved his hand and beamed at her.

"Is that why you want to become a Pokemon trainer? Because you know that the Pokemon aren't like how everyone says they are?" Dawn asked him, causing his smile to fade quickly. He looked away from her now, looking out the window of the kitchen.

"It's not that simple." He began. "Everyone's perception of Pokemon is all messed up. Most people agree that they're dangerous. That they team up with thugs to cause trouble and hurt innocent people."

Ash took a moment, recalling the times he had had this discussion with other people.

"This stuff makes my blood boil. Pokemon don't even get a fair chance to show their true colors. The media paints them as these ferocious creatures that try to slaughter any and everything if given the chance," Ash explained as he shook his head slowly. "None of them are like that though. They're intelligent, they have families and communities. They protect their young until they're ready to live on their own, and they even respect their fellow Pokemon who pass away. But no one knows about any of this stuff because the _only_ time you'll see Pokemon in the spotlight if something bad happens. I want to change that…"

Dawn felt a twinge of guilt in her heart. She had been no different from the general public. She had been afraid of Pokemon, she had never gotten close to one, and she had most certainly been caught up in the way the media portrayed them.

"But…how are you going to do that?" She asked him, causing Ash to look at her again.

"I don't know yet." Ash said as he shrugged his shoulders, but his eyes were burning once again. "All I know is that becoming a trainer is a step in the right direction."

* * *

Johanna had been anxious the last time her daughter had stepped out of her convertible today, but now she found herself struggling to suppress a huge smile.

Dawn had called her out of the blue to tell her that she and a friend needed a ride because May had 'prior commitments.' Arriving at the beach house, Johanna found Dawn speaking animatedly with the same raven-haired young man that had saved her on her first-day school. Johanna thought that this would have been her opportunity to thank him face to face for his heroics. However, this only remained a thought.

Ash and Dawn conversed all the way back to Ash's home. There wasn't a moment of silence between them as they spoke in the back of Johanna's car. Looking at her daughter in the rearview mirror occasionally, Johanna could see that her daughter was practically glowing as she spoke with Ash.

"That's my place coming up on the right," Ash said as he pointed out his home to Johanna. "You can park right in front of it."

"Mom, do you mind if I go in for a few minutes. Ash has a few paintings he wants me to see." Dawn explained to her mother as she came to a stop in front of Ash's home.

"Just for a few minutes Dawn. Darach has dinner waiting for me." Johanna said to her in reply.

"Thanks, mom, I won't be long." Dawn said as she and Ash climbed out of the back of her car. Retrieving his bags from the trunk, Ash then led Dawn up to the front door of his home. Knocking on the door, it was opened up a few moments later to reveal Cassidy who smiled warmly at Ash.

"Well, it looks like you had a good time Ash." She noted before her gaze settled on Dawn. "And who might this be?"

Dawn furrowed her brow as she looked at Cassidy.

"Cassidy, this is a new friend I made at school. Her name's Dawn." Ash said as he looked back at Dawn. When Ash turned to look at Dawn, Cassidy gave Dawn a wink and motioned for her to go along with it.

"Uh, nice to meet you." Dawn said as Cassidy invited them in.

"Can you wait here for a second Dawn?" He said, and she nodded. Ash went down the corridor, entering the kitchen where Dawn could hear the shouts of the two girls in there that were having dinner.

"Thanks for going along with that Dawn," Cassidy said now that it was just the two of them. It was then that Dawn realized that as far as Ash knew, this was the first time she had visited his home. "Is that your mother?"

Cassidy was looking out the front door, studying the blue-haired woman that was seated in the car outside.

"Ye-up."

"Ash will be back in a moment." Cassidy said before she went down the stairs to introduce herself to Johanna.

Watching as the two of them began to talk, Dawn's attention returned to the corridor where she saw Ash coming back to her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." He said as he motioned for her to follow him upstairs. "My Pikachu should be upstairs; I have a little spot for it outside of my room."

Dawn felt her heartbeat speed up at the prospect of meeting another Pokemon today. Her encounter with Mantine and Mantyke had been short, but it left her curious and she wanted to satisfy this sudden interest. When Ash had told her she could meet another Pokemon, Dawn was astonished to learn that he was actually in possession of one. It all made sense though. No wonder Ash was so comfortable around Mantine and Mantyke. He was always around Pokemon, and that explained why he wanted to change things for them.

Reaching the second floor, Ash led Dawn down a long hallway and near the end of the corridor she saw a cushion beside a door with a creature resting on top of it. His ears perked up at the sound of their footsteps, causing him to rise from the cushion to check who was approaching. Spotting Ash, Pikachu jumped to his feet and darted down the hall, pouncing at Ash who caught him easily.

"Pika!" He proclaimed as he snuggled into Ash's chest.

"Yeah, it's been a long day," Ash replied as he held Pikachu for a few moments. Once Pikachu finished greeting Ash, he climbed onto Ash's shoulder where he now focused on Dawn, studying her intently. Lots of new people had been coming over to their house recently, and Pikachu was trying to become aquatinted with all of them. "Pikachu, this is one of my new friends. Her name is Dawn."

"Pika-chu." He said, extending one of his small paws toward her. Dawn stared at the small Pokemon in shock for a moment. He was actually trying to shake hands with her, although his tiny paw couldn't compare to the size of her hand.

"It's nice to meet you…Pikachu." Dawn said softly as she accepted his gesture. Pikachu beamed brightly at her, and this seemed to melt away any doubts Dawn might have had. Pikachu was just so adorable! "Oh, you're such a cutie!"

"Pika!" He exclaimed, hopping onto her shoulder now where Dawn didn't waste this opportunity to place her hand on Pikachu's head, scratching him softly which gained a content 'Chaaa' from Pikachu.

"So how did you get Pikachu?" Dawn asked Ash as he opened up the door to his room.

"When I turned five. Pikachu's been through everything with me." Ash replied as they stepped into his room, and Dawn's focus shifted from Pikachu to the contents of Ash's room. She was left speechless at the sight of all the paints and sketches that were scattered on the floor or leaning against the wall. Dozens of them!

"Ash, don't tell me you did _all_ of these?" Dawn exclaimed as she kneeled down to examine the closest one.

"Yeah, but all of these are from a while ago. I haven't been painting or drawing much recently." Ash responded.

"This is incredible." Dawn noted softly as she looked around at the other pieces of artwork. Glancing from one to the next, Dawn could see that none of these were done on a whim. He poured everything he had into his work.

Looking toward Ash now, Dawn watched as she approached the only window in his room and unlocked it, raising it to let some fresh air into the room. Dawn tilted her head, wondering how Ash could be so talented and have no intention of trying to use these talents. She could understand his earlier discouragement, but his talent was evident in his work. He couldn't just give up on all of this!

"Ash, why don't you want to become an artist?" She asked him suddenly. She wanted to hear what Ash would say. He sighed though, leaning on the windowsill as he peered out into the street in front of his home.

"I wanted to…at one point." Ash began, shrugging his shoulders. He kept his back to her though, even as he continued speaking. "I told you this already, but I want to change how people view Pokemon. I don't think I'll be able to do that as an artist."

"You can't say that!" Dawn almost barked at him. She paused for a moment, surprised that she had become so outspoken for a moment. Dialing back the volume of her voice, she continued with her stance on the matter. "Art is a form of communication. You can spread messages and ideas all over the place through art. You're so talented Ash that I'm sure you can get your message across to people. I'm sure you'll find a way."

"It's not that easy Dawn. Everyone has been…brainwashed into believing Pokemon are dangerous. I don't want to sound like I'm downplaying what artists do though, I have the utmost respect for them…but getting a few pictures and paintings into a gallery to try and spread the word-" Ash sighed again, shaking his head. "-that isn't going work."

Pikachu jumped down from Dawn's shoulder, scampering over to his trainer where he climbed back onto Ash's shoulder.

"If I really want to make a difference, I have to do something big…no, _huge_." Ash stated, a smile forming on his face. He turned a bit, glancing back at Dawn. As he did so, the setting sun almost blinded Dawn since Ash had been blocking it. Raising a hand to block it, Dawn's eyes widen a bit as she looked at Ash. He was…sparkling in the sunlight. It was almost, magical.

"Me and Pikachu, we'll find a way to show everyone that we _can_ live with Pokemon," Ash stated, giving a nod to his partner. "Right Pikachu?"

"Pika!"

 _"Becoming a Pokemon trainer is going to take him down a dark path, and if he commits to it, he won't turn back. So please, help him to see that there are other things that he can do with himself."_

Remembering Cassidy's words to her, Dawn found that whatever resolve she had was fading. She didn't know if she had it in her heart to oppose Ash's dream.

* * *

 **A/N**

I'm glad that I'm finally uploading this chapter. I've been dying to start tackling some of the major conflicts in this story. These two chapters (Perspective I & II) went into the opinions and viewpoints people have with regards to Pokemon in this story. As I've said before, I'm trying to put a different spin on the issues in the Pokemon world and I hope that you all are enjoying them as we keep progressing.

I have to give a shout out to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt for his help. He likes to say that his contributions are minimal but he's being too modest. Also a thanks to our new followers, I hope you're enjoying everything up until this point. There are big plans going forward that I can't wait to get to!

Thanks again everyone, and I hope you have a wonderful day!


	8. A Message

**Chapter 8**

* * *

 **Monday, September 19th**

"Good morning _mes élèves_!" Fantina declared to her students as she looked around her first period class. "Today we're going to begin out first major project of the year. I believe this one will take about two weeks to complete."

"Two weeks?" May exclaimed. "That sounds like a lot of work."

"It is mademoiselle, but the end result will make it all worthwhile." Fantina replied eloquently, excusing May's interruption.

"So what are we going to be doing?" Another student piped up.

"I will be pairing you off once again, but this time you and your partner will be working on a single piece together." Fantina revealed to them, and this seemed to open the floodgates.

"I call Ash!" May proclaimed immediately.

"No fair, I want to partner up with him!"

"Forget them Ash, you and me will make the ultimate tag team!"

It took Fantina a few moments to regain the attention of her students, giving them some unfortunate news to silence them.

"Actually, you all will be working with the person you were partnered with for the portrait project." Fantina stated, causing a fair number of her students to deflate.

"Aww, so Ash and Dawn are together again?"

"Man, their piece is going to be amazing."

Fantina could already tell that a fair portion of the class wanted to work with Ash for his superior skill. In fact, Dawn was probably viewed in the same light but Fantina was curious to see what the two of them could produce together.

"So what are like, the guidelines for this project?" May asked after raising her hand. This caused Fantina to smile warmly at her class.

"That is the best part. I have but one rule for you all for this project. Since this is a duet piece, all I require is that you and your partner split the piece evenly. You cannot over step this boundary." Fantina explained to them.

"So you're saying we have to split the paper or canvas that we're working on?" Dawn asked for clarification.

"Exactly. You can use any medium you want, and it can be as big or as small as you want." Fantina went on. "I just want you all to have _fun_ with this one."

"This sounds pretty cool actually." May declared, earning a nod of agreement from some of her peers.

Fantina then encouraged everyone to sit with their partner and spend the rest of the class brainstorming. Dawn moved to the empty seat beside Ash in the back of the classroom. They shared a glance as Dawn got comfortable in her seat. While the rest of the class became absorbed in their discussions, Ash and Dawn remained silent. Ash had his chin placed delicately on the back of his hand as he observed the bluenette seated beside him, waiting to see what she would do.

After a few moments, Dawn finally broke eye contact with Ash, amazed that he could hold a neutral expression as he openly stared at her. Dawn was embarrassed when she stared at Ash, and blatantly returning his gaze was even more embarrassing. Clearing her throat in an effort to relax her mind, Dawn decided to focus on the task at hand.

"So Ash, what do you think we should use as our medium?" Dawn asked him.

"I don't know, is there anything specific that you want to work with?" He asked in return.

"…You know, I haven't seen you paint something with my own eyes yet. You want to take a swing at it?" She suggested and Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"I'd hate to disappoint you, so I'll do what I can. For you."

Dawn pursed her lips, feeling her cheeks heat up a bit.

 **Wednesday, September 21st**

Dawn was last to arrive at her usual lunch table, greeting both Nando and May who had been there for a little while now.

"So I finally got Ash to agree to join us for lunch guys." Dawn began as she took her seat beside Nando.

"Wait, Ash has lunch this period?" May exclaimed. This was news to her.

"Yeah, since the first day of school May." Dawn stated in a deadpan.

"Well I've never seen him here!" May pointed out indignantly.

"He told me he usually skips lunch. I gave him the offer for him to join us a couple of times, but he always turned it down." Dawn explained for them.

"Oh I'm going to have to give Ash a piece of my mind when he shows up. I can't believe he turned down an invitation to have lunch with May Maple." May announced, causing both Dawn and Nando to give her a look.

"At least I know why he didn't want to sit with us. He spends enough time around May already." Nando said under his breath.

"Hey, I heard that." May chirped at him, causing Dawn to laugh. May looked toward her female friend now, a devious smirk forming on her face. "So~ Dawn, do you know what made him decide to accept? Was it your date over the weekend?"

Nando felt his chest tighten considerably at May's suggestion, but Dawn's reply put him at ease.

"No May." She stated, clicking her tongue. "You should know, it's the project for Ms. Fantina's class. We're…not doing that good actually. So I told him we should try talking a bit more during lunch."

As she said this, Dawn spotted Ash stepping out from the cafeteria, searching for them. Dawn rose from her seat, waving him over to their table.

"Hey guys." Ash said as he gave a nod to Nando and May.

"So Ash what's the deal with you blowing us off? I'm actually kind of hurt that you didn't want to sit with us for lunch." May said as she placed a hand over her chest, as if to feign heartache.

"I usually spend my lunch in Ms. Fantina's room. But Dawn wanted to talk so I came out of my little den today." He explained to her, earning a 'hmph' from May.

"I guess I can accept that…for now." She said while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"For now?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow I want a better answer." May stated, and Ash looked toward Dawn and Nando for an explanation. Nando rolled his eyes at this.

"Ash, do yourself a favor and just ignore her. After a while May can't really hear the crap that comes out of her mouth." Nando said and Ash laughed out loud. May turned red at this before Ash covered his mouth, surprised that he had been so loud.

"Anyway Ash, I had a couple of ideas that I wanted to go over with you." Dawn said as she retrieved her sketchbook. She had Ash's full attention now as he sat down beside her.

"Yeah, let's see 'em." He said as she opened up to the pages that she had been doodling on during her classes this morning.

"What do you think of these?" Dawn asked him, watching as Ash's eyes jumped around the page. He spent about a minute studying the contents of the page before he gave an answer.

"These seem, kind of impersonal if you ask me Dawn." He said after setting her sketchbook back down on the table. He then pointed to one her drawings, using this one as a reference. "I like the thought of there being a centerpiece that the two of us work around, but it has to be something that really captures the audience."

"That's a good point. But what should be the subject then? Like, something we have in common?" Dawn suggested.

"That could work but uh…outside of art, what could we use?"

As the two of them went back and forth rattling off ideas and thoughts, Nando and May watched them interact quietly. They had never seen Dawn work like this.

Ash seemed to bring out a side of her that she never showed at all. When Dawn Berlitz starts to work, she enters her own little zone. No one else had ever set foot in there, until she met Ash Ketchum.

The focused Dawn Berlitz, a girl who wouldn't utter a word as she worked, was gone. In her place was a girl that was enthusiastically gushing out her thoughts and opinions on their project as if she were an open fire hydrant.

"I'm really liking this idea now Dawn." Ash said with a nod of approval. "All we need to do is figure out what to do for the centerpiece."

"There's no need to worry. We'll get it in no time. For now though we've got a lot of stuff to work with. This is going to be so awesome!" Dawn said as she raised a hand toward Ash as a gesture for a high five.

"You got that right." Ash replied with a grin as he tapped her hand, but Dawn closed her fingers around Ash's hand as they made contact, causing him to furrow his brow. "Is something wrong?"

Dawn stared at their hands for a moment, and then her eyes brightened.

"That's it!" She exclaimed suddenly.

* * *

 **Friday, September 30th**

Fantina was _stunned_ to say the least as she observed two of her top students. The work Ash and Dawn had done was nothing short of breathtaking as they applied the finishing touches.

Fantina understood that this project was difficult for her students. Giving a little under two weeks to try and combine their talents was a tall task, so she had adjusted her expectations after the first time she had given this assignment three years ago. In the past each pair of students would simply split the canvas in half and work on their own. It was always clear that two people with two different visions had been working on these pieces.

However for the first time, Fantina found a pair of students had blended their work together seamlessly.

Watching Ash and Dawn as they worked around a large canvas that was laid out on the table in front of them, Fantina couldn't help but marvel at their unspoken communication. They were the only pair that Fantina didn't hear any complaints from. They never overlapped or fought over an area to work on. They worked around each other perfectly.

Dawn had always loved to paint. She found it exhilarating to mix paints, create different tones and colors and then apply it all to a canvas. She had painted with other people in the past, but painting with Ash was a different experience. Not because he was a remarkable artist…but because Ash just seemed to understand her vision and adjust his vision accordingly, and of course Dawn would do the same for him. It was strange really.

Whenever Dawn painted, she felt as though she entered her own little zone. Putting all other distractions aside, it was just her, her palette of paint and the canvas. For the first time though, Dawn had company in her zone. Ash was here working alongside her, and Dawn could swear that it was like they were inside each other's head. They didn't need to talk, they just…understood. The finished product was clear proof of this.

Setting his paintbrush down, Ash exhaled audibly. He was done with his portion of the painting, but Dawn was still addressing some small details. Ash watched Dawn curiously now as she worked, lightly touching the canvas with the tip of her brush. It was mesmerizing to watch her while she was in this little zone.

A pair of feathery, angel like wings seemed to unfold from Dawn's back, stretching out behind her. Ash inhaled sharply, a small smile on his face. This was a common occurrence, but the sight of these wings still made him smile.

Looking back at Ash and Dawn from her desk, May spotted Ash staring openly at Dawn. They remained like this for a few moments before Dawn finally looked up from her work and realized Ash was looking at her. They made eye contact, and stared at each other for just a moment before turning away. This caused May to smile softly as she began to think of some possibilities.

Rising from her seat since Ash and Dawn had stopped working, May knew that this was her chance to finally see what they had been working on. Both Dawn and Ash had been so secretive, insisting that no one see it until they were done, with the exception of Fantina of course. Not to mention they had been working on this piece in class, and privately during their free periods. With the amount of time invested, May was expecting to see a masterpiece, and she was blown away to say the least.

It was almost overwhelming at first. There was just so much to take in, but as May spent a few moments studying this piece she began to understand what they had done. The centerpiece was a pair of hands, like a couple holding hands. As each arm faded off to the sides of the canvas, they became lost in a variety of images and colors. The contrast between the two artists was what defined the painting though. Ash's side was monotone, with his images being painted on shards of broken glass. On the other hand, Dawn's side was colorful and vibrant, expressing her warmth and happiness as opposed to the loneliness of Ash's portion. The most noteworthy thing to May though was the fact that Ash's wrist and forearm were grey, but as it transitioned to his hand it gained color. Almost as if coming into contact with Dawn's hand was restoring its color…or perhaps something else to his life…

" _Magnifique_!" Fantina declared as she observed their work. It was stupendous. Immediately a crowd formed around their desk as the other students came to see Ash and Dawn's work.

"Wow! That's incredible!"

"The two of you are freakin' amazing!"

"Dude, why are you so good at this?" One of the guys asked Ash, causing him to scratch the back of his neck with a chuckle.

"This is nothing really man." Ash replied casually.

Dawn used this moment to steal a glance at Ash as he laughed softly. This was an outstanding piece he had just completed, but she knew in the long run that all of this was meaningless to him.

Soon enough the bell chimed, signaling the end of first period. As the students packed up their belongings and left, Dawn approached Ash once again while she had a few minutes before her next class.

"So Ash, Ms. Fantina wants to put our painting on display. After that though she wants to know which of us will take it home. " Dawn explained to him and Ash snorted a bit.

"It's all yours Dawn." He said quickly, not that Dawn was surprised by his answer.

"Are you sure?" She pressed.

"You and I both know I have enough paintings in my house. I'm sure your folks can find a spot for it though." Ash said with a small grin. There had to be a place for this painting in Dawn's enormous home.

"Yeah…I suppose." Dawn noted before glancing at the doorway of the room where the early birds for the fashion class were arriving. "So um…do you want to hang out again this weekend?"

Ash frowned and clicked his tongue.

"Sorry Dawn, I actually have plans this weekend." He replied, although he would've jumped at the chance to go the beach with her again.

"Oh, are you working?" She asked curiously.

"Uhh, yeah…I guess you could call it work." Ash said softly with a small nod.

* * *

The sun was sinking into the horizon as Ash found himself standing on a hillside that overlooked Vermilion City. Running a hand through his hair, Ash then stretched out his arms to enjoy the breeze that was passing through. Much like the breeze, his school day had flown by without much notice. He said his goodbyes to Dawn as she caught the bus to head home, and then he met with his company for the afternoon.

Glancing over his shoulder, Ash spotted Brock who was still seated on the hood of his car in the small parking lot further back. Brock had been waiting for him outside of his school per Ash's request. The two of them had some business to…discuss.

"Are we clear?" Ash asked Brock, causing him to look around again. There had been a couple in the parking lot when they had arrived about ten minutes ago, forcing them to sit back for a while. Fortunately, the two of them had finally left earning an all clear signal from Brock.

"Yeah, let's get started." He replied as he slid off his car. Opening the passenger's door, Brock went straight for the backpack that was resting on the seat, unzipping it to release Pikachu who had been hidden inside.

"Chaa-" It groaned as it climbed out of the bag, stretching out its limbs as it rested on the seat for a moment. Noticing Brock, Pikachu beamed and saluted to him. "Pika!"

"Long time no see Pikachu." Brock said to the small Pokemon as it jumped out of the car, allowing him to shut the door. Spotting Ash, Pikachu scampered over to its trainer where it climbed onto his shoulder, its favorite spot to be.

"So let's get straight down to business Brock." Ash declared before he looked at Pikachu. "We're going to show Brock everything we've been working on Pikachu, so no holding back, okay?"

"Pi-ka!" It declared before jumping down onto the grassy hill.

"I had better be impressed Ash." Brock stated as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, taking a seat on the hood of his car once again.

"Alright then, Pikachu let's show him your Agility." Ash said to his Pokemon who nodded. Brock watched on curiously as Pikachu began to flicker before it darted off around the hill. It was fast! Seated a fair distance from Pikachu, it was much easier for Brock to track the movements of the small Pokemon with his eyes, but it was definitely lightning quick.

Pikachu soon returned to its starting point where it came to a stop comfortable, demonstrating that it had full control while moving so quickly. Then both Pikachu and Ash looked to Brock, waiting for his thoughts. Brock leaned back a bit, placing a hand on his chin. He liked what he saw here, but there was still plenty of room to grow.

"Not bad, not bad." Brock said, motioning for them to continue.

Ash frowned a bit at Brock, deciding that they would have to pull out all the stops in order to impress his friend. Looking toward his partner Pokemon, he gave it a small nod and Pikachu understood immediately.

"Pikachu, Charge up!" Ash said, motioning for it to begin its preparations.

Pikachu stood on its hind legs now, and clenched its paws into fists.

"Pika~" Pikachu voice grew louder as the red spot on each of its cheeks began to crackle with electricity. A yellow dome formed around Pikachu which then shrunk into the electric Pokemon who then lowered its arms with a confident smile on its face. It had gained a coat of electricity which caused Brock to perk up with curiosity.

"Now show him your Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded, throwing a hand up in the air.

"Pi-ka-CHU!" Pikachu shouted, causing Brock's jaw to drop as he looked up. A vertical bolt of yellow lightning flew up into the sky! Ash looked up as well, admiring Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack as it reached an altitude he could barely see.

"Awesome Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed as his Pokemon jumped to high five him. The two of them then looked toward Brock now their demonstration was complete. His mouth hung open, his sunglasses crooked on the bridge of his nose. "Well what did you think of that?"

"Get in the car!" Brock barked all of a sudden as he jumped off his car for the second time and quickly got into the driver's seat.

"Wha-What?" Ash asked.

"I said get in! We've got to move now Ash!" Brock demanded as he reached over to throw open the passenger door for Ash.

With confusion evident on his face, Ash ran over to the car with Pikachu and jumped in. From the moment the door was shut the car was in motion as Brock whipped out of his parking spot.

"What's going on Brock?!" Ash shouted as he pulled his seat belt across his torso. Brock had already torn out of the parking lot and was racing down the hillside now.

"Get Pikachu back into your bag." Brock ordered him, causing Ash to raise his brow before he collected his backpack from the floor.

"Sorry Pikachu, back in ya go." Ash said as he opened the bag for Pikachu to stow itself away. "Sheesh, what's happening Brock?"

"Ash, you just shot a lightning bolt into the sky, and there isn't a single cloud up there!" Brock explained as he pointed to the clear skies above them. "That's a dead giveaway."

It took Ash a moment to realize exactly what he had done.

"Ugh, I'm so stupid." Ash muttered as he palmed his forehead.

Obviously a lightning bolt dropping from the sky would warrant an investigation from the authorities, and anyone who had seen it must have reported it as well. The last thing they needed to do was get caught out here with a Pokemon.

"I didn't think you'd do something so flashy." Brock explained as they reached the base of the hill already, racing back toward the highway ramp that they would use to reenter Vermilion City.

"The goal was to impress." Ash pointed out with a smirk.

"And I was, damn near crapped my pants." Brock replied, returning the smirk Ash had shot at him. "But now we have to high tail it before the cops show up. If we're seen coming from the site we'll get pulled over."

Arriving at the highway ramp, Brock rounded the bend and merged into the traffic as people were commuting back to their homes. Mixed in with so many people now, Brock gave a sigh of relief as he leaned back into his seat.

"We should be clear." Brock said with a nod.

"Sorry for the scare." Ash said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Don't worry about it. We're good for now." Brock said as they moved slowly with the traffic.

"So what did you think of Pikachu?" Ash asked him after a moment of silence. This was the only thing he cared to know about.

"Hmmm." That was all Brock said initially, leaving Ash's anticipation to build. Every now and then Ash and Pikachu would perform a demonstration for Brock to show their progress. Ash didn't know any actual trainers that he could contact to gauge his progress, but Brock was an active lurker around the Pokemon scene in Vermilion City. He had seen hundreds, maybe thousands of Pokemon battles so he was just as informed as any trainer.

"Come on Brock." Ash pleaded, anxious for Brock to begin.

"Alright, so I can definitely say that you guys took another step forward. How did you train Pikachu for it to gain that-Agility?" Brock asked him now.

"Before sunrise on the weekends, we'd go for a two mile run. Pikachu really enjoys those." Ash explained to him.

" _Only_ on the weekends?" Brock inquired, and Ash gave him a nod.

"Yeah, it's kind of tough to do it during the week since people are waking up early. Plus I have school so I prefer to sleep a bit more." Ash replied and Brock quickly understood. If he was seen with Pikachu that early in the morning there was no telling what kind of assumptions someone might jump to. Brock took a moment to admire Ash's forethought in only choosing the safest times to train with Pikachu for a bit. But…

"And then that Thunderbolt attack was unreal Ash. The two of you have come a long way with it." Brock continued causing Ash to grin. Opening his backpack, Pikachu poked its head out to look up at him.

"Did you hear that Pikachu, Brock said we're doing great." Ash said as he gave his partner a thumbs up.

Brock pursed his lips though, trying to decide if he should interject or not. While Ash and Pikachu were indeed improving, Brock couldn't deny that there was a gap in strength between Ash and the trainers he _wanted_ to battle. He also knew why this gap existed.

"Ash what time do you have to meet with the dude from the Red Skulls?" Brock asked since they had been sitting in this traffic for a while now.

"Six thirty, we've got plenty of time." Ash replied as he relaxed into his seat.

Brock was also well aware of Ash's activity at the end of every month. How he worked with the Red Skulls to make some cash off the books.

"Do you know how much they're paying for this job by the way?" Brock asked curiously.

"Well it depends on the job. But it's never below five thousand." Ash replied and Brock put on a sly smile.

"Hmm, I might have to consider working for the Red Skulls too." Brock noted jokingly, but Ash deadpanned.

"You were the one who recommended this to me." Ash said, pointing at him with a furrowed brow.

"I don't know, was I?" Brock asked in return, shooting a smirk at Ash.

"Whatever Brock." Ash said as he waved off the subject.

Ash and Brock were partners in crime…so to speak.

It had been almost two years since they had first met each other. Both of them had been attending a Pokemon battle in downtown Vermilion City, but the authorities caught wind of the battle. Once they arrived on the scene everyone scattered. Noticing that Ash was far younger than most of the people present, Brock snatched him up to make sure he didn't get caught in all of this chaos…and that was beginning of their partnership.

Upon discovering that Ash was in possession of a Pikachu, Brock insisted that he begin to train with it so that Ash could become a trainer. It didn't take much at all to convince Ash he could do it. He had been considering this since he was young, and now with Brock's direction, Ash and Pikachu were racing toward their dream.

Glancing at Ash who was conversing with Pikachu, Brock couldn't stop a smile from forming on his face.

The two of them didn't know it yet, but they were already stronger than the average trainer in Vermilion City. However Ash wasn't interested in the average trainer. He only cared about the strongest ones, because if he defeated them…then he would get some recognition, and once he received that, hopefully he would be able to make a change.

One question remained on Brock's mind though. Was Ash capable of defeating the five Kings of Vermilion City?

"By the way Ash, I've got some news I know you'd like to hear." Brock said, getting the attention of his friend.

"What's that?"

"Next Saturday, there's a block party in midtown. N is going to have a battle there." Brock revealed, and he immediately received Ash's full attention now.

"For real?" Ash exclaimed. "Who's he going to battle this time?"

"It's nothing serious. Just another exhibition match like the one we were at, but seeing him in person is something you can't pass on." Brock explained. "So try not to get too banged up with the Skulls this weekend, alright?"

"Yeah, I hear ya." Ash responded before looking down at Pikachu. "Did you hear that Pikachu, we're going to see N in a battle next weekend."

"Pii-ka?" It asked in response, tilting its head a bit.

"He's the King of the White Lotus. One of the strongest trainers in the city." Ash explained to his Pokemon. "One day, you and me are going to battle him, _and_ beat him. So I want you to see how he battles for yourself."

"Pika-chu." It replied with a nod of confidence.

Brock snorted softly at the two of them. They were two peas in a pod despite their physical differences. Humans and Pokemon had more in common than most people cared to think about or admit.

* * *

 **Sunday, October 2nd**

Brock had been enjoying his weekend for the most part even though he had spent a majority of it watching his siblings. Now as he was wrapping up his weekend on Sunday night, he received a phone call that forced him to drop everything he was doing.

 _"I'm at a bus stop down by the shipping yards. Can you come pick me up?" Ash asked him._

It wasn't often that Ash contacted him at such an odd time, so Brock could only imagine that his time with the Red Skulls might have done a number on his friend. It didn't take Brock long to find Ash as he drove along the outskirts of the shipping yard, eventually arriving at a bus stop that was situated beneath one of the street lights. Pulling up beside the bench, Brock saw the person on the bench look up at him and he immediately recognized him as Ash.

"Damn Ash, what the hell happened?!" Brock exclaimed as he jumped out of his car and rushed over to Ash. His clothes were torn and upon closer inspection, Brock could see fresh bruises on Ash's face.

"Uh…I don't know if we should stay here." Ash mumbled in response as he nodded toward the two bags beside him on the bench. "Pikachu's in the blue bag, be careful with it."

Brock had to check on the Pokemon for himself so he opened the bag and found a beaten and battered Pikachu resting within it. What happened to them?

Collecting both bags, Brock placed them in the back seat of his car before returning to Ash who hadn't moved.

"Do you need a hand?" Brock asked him, and Ash gave him a nod. "Come on then."

Brock hooked his forearm under Ash's left armpit, causing Ash to curse audibly at him.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Brock exclaimed as he stepped back from Ash as he grimaced.

"Sorry. It's my shoulder, I think it's dislocated." Ash replied as he held his arm, waiting for the pain subside a bit.

"Let me see if I can reset it for you." Brock suggested as he reached toward Ash's shoulder a second time. He froze though when Ash gave a dark stare, recognizing this as Ash declining his help.

"How about we leave it to someone that knows what they're doing." Ash replied. "Take me to Shauna's place."

"Right." Brock said with a nod as Ash slowly but surely got onto his feet. Brock opened the passenger door for him, waiting patiently as Ash got comfortable in his seat before he shut the door. Once Ash was set, Brock shut the door and got in on the driver's side to begin their short trip. "So what happened?"

"So the Red Skulls had some…big plans this weekend. They wanted to make a statement to the White Lotus, so they rounded up a group of trainers and we went into Lotus territory on Friday night." Ash explained as he readjusted himself in his seat. "There's this abandoned apartment complex on the west side that the White Lotus use for…something. We didn't get all the details, but they told us to storm the place and run the White Lotus out of there. After that we held it down."

"Wait, so you actually got to battle some guys in the White Lotus?" Brock asked him.

"Yeah, but I don't think they were anything special. Pikachu and I beat one guy on Friday night, and then we won three more battles on Saturday." Ash explained, recalling how he and Pikachu had celebrated their victories. They had held their own against these trainers, and were glad to see some results from their training.

"Dang, so you guys did pretty good!" Brock noted, but as he glanced at Ash he caught sight of the grim expression on his face. It was then Brock realized that something must have gone horribly wrong to explain Ash's current condition.

"We did good on Friday and Saturday…but then earlier this afternoon things just got crazy." Ash revealed and Brock was eager to hear everything now.

"So what happened?" He asked anxiously.

"Like, thirty guys from the White Lotus showed up, and it was just a mess from there." Ash began.

-X-X-

 _Ash had been having a blast to say the least. This weekend had been like no other for him. While the broken down buildings he had spent the last two nights in could use some work, being surrounded by other trainers was something Ash had always longed for. After assuming control of this complex, Ash spent a majority of his time talking and practicing with the other trainers. It was so much fun listening to them discuss strategies and share their experiences._

 _They all had become a boisterous group as their victories over the White Lotus piled up, enjoying the comradery. There was ample opportunity to back up their big talk as the White Lotus attempted to take back control of this complex, but Ash and his company kept a firm grip on this place. The Red Skulls didn't waste any opportunity to gloat either, almost as if they were trying to provoke the White Lotus trainers that had been trying to reclaim the complex._

 _Now though, Ash was writhing as he held his shoulder with a scene of pure chaos unfolding in the large parking lot of the complex. Nearly thirty trainers from the White Lotus had boldly entered the apartment complex, calling for the Red Skulls that had occupied their 'territory' to come out. Choosing to stand their ground, the Red Skulls engaged their opponents, and battles broke out all over the parking lot. Everyone fought with little regard for their surroundings, and soon enough evidence of Pokemon battles were all over the place. The concrete was shattered, scorched and uprooted in various places._

 _With their numbers advantage, the Lotus trainers began to overwhelm their opponents, steadily knocking out the Pokemon that the Red Skulls had on hand. It wasn't long until their numbers had dwindled to six Pokemon. The trainers who's Pokemon that had been defeated didn't fare so well now that they had no protection. The Lotus trainers felt the need to remind the Red Skulls not to set foot in their territory by beating them physically as well._

 _Ash winced at the sight of Pikachu being sent skidding across the ground to him where it remained, lying unconscious. It hadn't been a fair fight as Pikachu was overwhelmed by three opponents, and Ash didn't receive a chance to reason with these trainers as they assaulted him. He was thrown to the floor with a yelp, and was left to shout in a pain as one of them placed the heel of their boot on his shoulder, beginning to apply more pressure to it. Just when Ash felt as though his shoulder was going to pop, they lifted their foot and delivered a kick to his side. He received several more kicks, including at least two to his face._

 _Blinking back a few hot tears, Ash rolled onto his side with a groan. He could see that the trainers that had beat him and Pikachu were already moving on to surround the last six trainers of the Red Skulls that still had Pokemon that were standing. Things seemed to stop for a moment as the last Skull trainers looked around at the opponents that surrounded them._

 _"Get them!" One of the Lotus trainers barked and the chaos resumed._

 _"Sandshrew, attack with Rollout!"_

 _"Krabby, get them with Vice Grip!"_

 _"Machop, hit 'em hard with your Karate Chop!"_

 _"Drowzee, use Psybeam!"_

-X-X-

"Geez, things got ugly." Brock exclaimed as Ash had paused briefly.

"Oh no, it got a lot worse from there." Ash replied and Brock glanced at him in shock.

"How could it get any worse than that?" He inquired.

"Someone called the police. Those battles got way out of hand, so I'm guessing someone off the complex reported all of the commotion." Ash explained to him. "And to top it all off, you'll never guess who showed up."

Brock remained silent, unable to think of what could be the cherry on top for Ash's eventful afternoon. Then he exhaled loudly as a gesture for Ash to reveal this information.

"N."

-X-X-

 _Ash was simply astounded by the sudden appearance of a Zoroark in the fray. Just as the last remaining Skull trainers were bombarded with attacks, a black blur raced through the battlefield._

 _It was like time was moving differently for Zoroark. It read each attack that the Lotus trainers had launched and parried them away with ease leaving everyone unharmed. There was a gasp of surprise from the Lotus trainers at the sight of Zoroark, which only meant one thing. The King of the White Lotus was present._

 _"Zoroark, use Roar." A voice declared as the dark Pokemon took its place at the center of the battlefield. It threw its head back and its spiky fur seemed to stand up straight as Zoroark let out a feral roar, forcing all those present to cover their ears. All of the Pokemon that were conscious became red, being transferred back into their Pokeballs which effectively brought the entire battle to an end._

 _Every trainer looked up to see that the person commanding Zoroark was seated on a windowsill on the second floor, observing the confrontation from up there. Disappointment was evident in his expression as he frowned at them._

 _"What are you all doing?" N asked loudly, waiting for an answer from anyone._

 _The Skull trainers stood frozen as they looked up fearfully at N. He was truly the last person they had expected to get involved in all this. The White Lotus had already overwhelmed them with their extra forces, but now their King was here as well. There was no telling what was in store for the Red Skulls now._

 _One of the White Lotus trainers stepped forward, this small motion being enough to gain N's attention._

 _"N, sir. These trainers are the same group from the Red Skulls that chased us out of here on Friday. We returned to reclaim what's ours." He declared to N who raised his eyebrows in return._

 _"Did you come here to take back this place…or take vengeance on these trainers?" N inquired as he gestured to some of the Red Skull trainers that were aching from some of the blows they had received._

 _"They-they brought that on themselves!" Another trainer piped up. "They shouldn't have come in our territory in the first place!"_

 _N merely shook his head at the response._

 _"Vengeance leads to conflict." N stated. "The White Lotus does not instigate conflict, nor do we respond to it."_

 _"So we should just them walk all over us?!" One of the Lotus trainers barked. N looked at him sharply._

 _"No. We have a decisive means to defeat any enemy. A Pokemon battle. It's a demonstration of skill, strength and teamwork. If you conquer your enemy in an honest battle, he has no reason to turn against you." N continued. "Rather than stoop down to face your enemy, make them rise up to battle you."_

 _Ash was seated upright as he listened to N speak, one hand on his left shoulder as he tried to ease the pain. He was shocked that N was actually berating the Lotus trainers for trying to take back the area they had lost to the Red Skulls. None of them questioned N any further as they put away their Pokeballs, albeit begrudgingly. Clearly they had the utmost respect for their King._

 _Everyone looked up a bit as they heard sirens in the distance._

 _N frowned a bit, realizing he should've stopped these battles sooner. All of the commotion must have earned the attention of the people who lived near this complex, and they might have notified the authorities. There was evidence everywhere of Pokemon battles taking place. If any of them were caught here they would be prosecuted and sent to prison._

 _"Everyone, gather your Pokemon and head to building three!" N barked at the trainers around him. "If you want to escape, follow us!"_

 _The Lotus trainers looked at him incredulously, quickly realizing where he was leading them. The sound of the sirens approaching them quickly deterred any doubts the trainers had. None of them wanted to go to jail, and none of them could wish this upon any trainer either._

 _As the Lotus trainers took charge in leading the Red Skulls to building three, Ash was surprised to see a hand being extended down to him. Looking up, this surprise only increased as he saw that it was N standing in front of him._

 _"You know, I didn't plan on seeing you again so soon." N stated as Ash grabbed his hand. N then hoisted Ash up to his feet where he took a moment to steady himself._

 _"Neither did I, but I'm glad." Ash replied. There was no telling how things would've gone if N hadn't shown up. Then N's Zoroark approached him with Pikachu in its paws. Extending his partner to him, Ash smiled at Zoroark as he raised his hands to collect his partner. Ash grimaced visibly as he raised his left arm, and N realized he wouldn't be able to hold his Pokemon for the time being._

 _"Allow me." N said as he gingerly look a hold of Pikachu, creating a pocket with his left arm to hold it for now. "We don't have much time. Let's not fall behind the others."_

 _N and Ash were at the tail end of the mob of trainers that had rushed into building three of the complex. Entering the lobby, they all raced down the staircase into the basement where Ash was shocked to see the trainers rushing through a large hole in the far wall. The Lotus trainers began to call out some of their Pokemon, asking them to light the tunnel they had entered._

 _Ash and N were the last two to enter the tunnel, and N called for his Zoroark to cover their tracks. With ease Zoroark pulled a large steel cabinet in front of the tunnel, concealing it from view. This wouldn't suffice though as N called for Zoroark to attack the ceiling of the tunnel near the entrance. Doing so caused several pieces of earth to drop down, sealing off the tunnel completely._

 _"We should be safe for now." N stated with a sigh of relief. He then motioned for Ash to follow him as they jogged to catch up with the other trainers. The Lotus trainers had been helping the Red Skulls along, especially those whom they had hurt. There were no apologies, but no complaints from the Red Skulls since they had escaped the authorities._

 _As they all continued along the tunnel, they soon saw light at the end of it. Reaching this point, Ash was surprised to see that it simply led to another tunnel. This one however was refined by human hands, well lit and there were train tracks on the ground._

 _"Is this one of the abandoned subway lines?" Ash asked curiously as he looked toward N who nodded._

 _"Yup. There are tunnels that lead to the subway lines all over the city." N noted softly. "They say a Pokemon called Diglett had actually made all of these tunnels underneath the city centuries ago."_

 _Ash took a moment to marvel at that thought, but it would also explain how these tunnels lasted so long without collapsing._

 _"Come on everyone, let's keep moving!" N called out as he took charge, leading all of the trainers now._

 _They walked together for at least an hour before N declared that they had arrived at their destination. There was a ladder leading up a tight tunnel that would take them above ground. One by one the Red Skulls ascended this ladder. Those that struggled due to injuries were carried up the ladder on N's Zoroark. It was little uncomfortable being seated on the Pokemon's shoulders as it climbed, but it beat struggling to do it themselves._

 _As Ash reached the top of the tunnel on top of Zoroark, he was surprised to see that the sun was already sinking into the horizon._

 _N was the only member of the White Lotus to come above ground with them where he asked the Red Skulls to listen to him for a few moments._

 _"I don't know what your intentions were stepping into an area controlled by the White Lotus, but I will apologize for the aggressiveness of my trainers." N began, surprising the Red Skulls. "I will hold them accountable for any injuries they caused to you as trainers, but I believe eluding the police is payment enough. You all are currently located within the old steel mill on the west end. You should have no trouble getting home from here."_

 _There was an earnest thanks from some of the Red Skulls as their group began to disperse. N approached Ash and with a look of concern, placed Pikachu in Ash's good arm._

 _"Are you sure you'll be alright?" N asked him curiously._

 _"Yeah, I'll be fine." Ash responded, though N could see he was trying to conceal his pain._

 _"I hate to say this but…it's rough trying to be a trainer in this city. You can't come in with that half-hearted effort and think you'll make it. I don't like admitting this, but you won't always have a fair battle. People might gang up on you like today." N continued, and Ash nodded slowly as he remembered how quickly he and Pikachu had been defeated. "If you and your Pokemon can't overcome people being crooked when they battle you…you won't have a place here for very long."_

 _N looked directly into Ash's eyes for a moment with a stony-faced expression and there was no remorse as he spoke. He was making it abundantly clear to Ash that he couldn't be a part-time trainer._ _Even after all of the training he had done with Pikachu, they still had a ways to go if he wanted to compete with the best trainers in Vermilion City._

* * *

Shauna, Miette and Serena were all bunched together on the sofa in the living room of Shauna's one bedroom apartment, eating out of large bowl of popcorn as they watched a movie. Movie night was a tradition among the three of them, something that they never failed to do every Saturday. This weekend though they had pushed it to Sunday to accommodate Serena's work schedule, but none of them were bothered by this in the slightest.

"Oh my gosh, this is great!" Serena squealed as the three of them were absolutely absorbed in the romantic comedy they were watching. Miette shushed her harshly since the movie was reaching its climax.

Unfortunately, someone started banging on Shauna's door, startling all of them.

"Aw, what the heck!?" Miette exclaimed at the second disturbance.

"Did you have someone coming to visit, Shauna?" Serena asked as Shauna rose from the couch.

"I don't think so. Neither of you ordered pizza or something right?" Shauna asked in return as she approached the door. Opening it, she gasped at the sight of Ash hunched over Brock, using him for support. "Oh my god!"

Their movie night came to an end almost instantly at the sight of Ash and Brock entering the apartment.

"Oh crap, what happened to Ash!" Miette shouted as she and Serena jumped off the couch, making room for Ash to sit down.

"Ash, what did you do?" Shauna asked him as she helped him remove his shirt.

"Dislocated shoulder…" He stated as she began to examine his torso. There were bruises all over his body, some that were faded and others that were fresh. Shauna frowned at the sight of these, and her dismay only increased as she saw the scar on his forearm.

"It looks like someone beat the crap out of you!" Miette proclaimed as Shauna now focused on his shoulder, immediately spotting the depression in his shoulder muscle. It was definitely dislocated.

"Miette, get me some ice. Like a lot of it." Shauna stated as she glanced at her friend. Miette gave her a nod before she went off to the kitchen to retrieve this item.

Shauna then looked toward Serena.

'Talk to Brock, now.' Shauna mouthed to Serena who bit down on her lower lip before giving Shauna a nod. As Serena turned, she caught sight of Brock exiting the apartment already. Pursuing him out into the corridor, Serena shut the door leaving Shauna, Miette and Ash in the apartment.

"So what were you doing this time Ash? You've got bruises and cuts all over." Shauna noted at the sight of his beaten torso. Whoever had attacked him had clearly been vicious, but fortunately Ash's hadn't sustained any serious injuries.

"Shauna, let's keep this how it's always been. You patch me up, no questions asked." Ash said to her with a sigh. "And I'll pay you for this the next time I see you."

Miette poked her head out of the kitchen upon hearing this, but she swallowed her urge to speak up. She would definitely asked Shauna about this when she had the chance.

* * *

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Serena called out to Brock as she pursued him down the corridor.

"I have to take care of something." Brock replied as he continued on his way.

"I need to talk with you." Serena stated as she caught up to him, matching his walking pace now.

"You're welcome to walk with me then."

"Tell me what happened to Ash." Serena said to him sternly. Regardless of Shauna's little push for her to talk to Brock, Serena wanted to know as well. Shauna had mentioned once that Ash showed up to her apartment every now and then with some small injuries. Serena wasn't sure if Shauna had meant to share that information, but now Serena was more curious than ever.

"Serena, I honestly think it'd be best if you didn't know." Brock said with a sigh.

"Why?" She exclaimed strongly. "I care about Ash, and his safety. I have every right to know about what caused this!"

"Then why don't you talk to Ash about this?"

"Because I know that knucklehead won't tell me." She retorted with a huff. "So come on Brock, out with it."

"Serena I'm going to say this again. You really don't want to know how that happened to him." Brock repeated, and this confirmed her suspicions.

"It had to do with Pokemon, didn't it?" She asked in a low voice, and Brock paused for just a moment. This however was all Serena needed to know that she had hit the nail on the head. "I've been to my fair share of Pokemon battles. I've never seen someone get hurt like how Ash is. So what is he doing to get so beat up?"

"If I tell you this, I want to know that you can't under any circumstances, try to interfere. You'll be putting yourself at risk, and Ash at an even greater risk." Brock said as they reached the lobby of the apartment building. The two of them continued toward the exit of the lobby where Brock came to a stop.

"Well, are you going to tell me?" Serena asked him expectantly. "Brock sighed as he turned to check the lobby, making sure that no one was listening in.

"Ash…has been working with the Red Skulls." Brock revealed to her. Serena's expression didn't change though. She had mustered all of her strength to keep a straight face.

"So…you've known about this and you _haven't_ told him to stop?" She asked him now.

"I can't do that Serena." Brock replied, and Serena became angry.

"What do you mean you can't?!" She snapped at him. "Brock, all of this is way too dangerous for him, for anyone really. Yet you're here letting him think that it's okay to run around town with a group of thugs and their Pokemon!"

Brock didn't respond to this as he opened the door to step out of the building.

"Brock, please." Serena was begging him now. "Ash knows that none of us wants him to do this kind of stuff, but you're the only one who keeps supporting him and that's why he keeps trying. Just look at what it's doing to him!"

Serena had raised a hand, motioning to the hallway they had just come from.

"He's hurt, and if he keeps this up, he might be more than just hurt one day. And…I-I couldn't bear to see that. So please, stop giving him this false hope that Pokemon is the answer."

"So what are you saying? That I shouldn't help Ash try to achieve his dreams?" Brock asked sharply as he glanced back at her.

"Not when you're putting him at risk. If you really loved Ash like the rest of us, you wouldn't be able to sit there and see him come to us hurt because of what he's trying to accomplish." Serena said to him. Her voice was strong and steadfast. "If anything happens to Ash…I'll never forgive you Brock."

Brock looked away from her as he stepped out now, leaving Serena alone in the lobby. Stepping down to the sidewalk, Brock went a ways up the street toward his car. Reaching his vehicle Brock unlocked it and slid into the backseat beside the bags that Ash had brought.

 _"Once you drop me off with Shauna, I need you to treat Pikachu." Ash explained to Brock as they pulled up in front of the apartment building where their friend lived. "In the second bag they gave me, you'll find some Potions that you can treat Pikachu with. But ignore the rest of the stuff you find in that bag."_

Placing his hands on the zipper of the small duffle bag, Brock slowly opened the bag, and his eyes became wide at what he found within it. There had to be at least ten thousand dollars here, all bundled up for Ash. This was probably twice the normal rate that the Red Skulls would pay!

Looking up in thought for a moment, Brock recalled what Ash had told him about this weekend. Was it possible that all the trainers that had been sent into Lotus territory weren't actually members of the Red Skulls…but simply trainers they had hired to stir up some trouble for the White Lotus?

Stroking his chin for a moment, Brock had a funny feeling that this wasn't just the usual small sparks of conflicts between the Kingdoms. Something major was about to take place.

Digging down to the bottom of the duffle bag, Brock found the Potions that Ash had been talking about. If this had been added to Ash's payment, it made it that much more obvious that those trainers weren't expected to win in that scenario. The Red Skulls knew that they would be beaten. Which meant they only did that to bring N onto the scene earlier today…but why?

Retrieving Pikachu's sleeping form now, Brock rested the small Pokemon on his lap and raised the Potion to spray the small Pokemon with the purple liquid. Pikachu remained sound asleep, curled up.

'You think it doesn't hurt me to see Ash like this?' Brock said to himself as he looked out the window of his car. 'Of course it does. But this is bigger than you could understand Serena…'

Brock looked at the duffle bag that was full of money once again.

'But is it worth it…?'

* * *

A/N

Phew, a lot of work went into this chapter between me and my beta-reader MjrGenMatt. I'm really happy to finally upload this so I hope you all enjoyed it.

I'm now realizing that I never really talked about how frequently I intend to update this fic, so I might as well give you guys my plan now. I know you might not be the biggest fan of this, but once a month is usually my goal. I'm pretty busy as it is, so once a month gives me ample time to go over everything, discuss it with my beta-reader to make sure it's the highest quality we can achieve. We might surprise you guys and spit out two chapters a month, but I don't think we'll ever be rapidly updating this story like some authors on this site. So I'm grateful to those of you who patiently wait for each chapter, and I sincerely hope each chapter leaves you satisfied…actually I'd prefer if they leave you wanting more, but its whichever you prefer.

So thank you very much for reading, I hope you all have a wonderful day and I hope to see you again at the next update!


	9. On The Outside, Looking In

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Serena, Miette, and Shauna were all silent as they watched a shirtless Ash press a bag of ice against his left shoulder. He'd never say that it bothered him to have three young women staring at him in, even in his current state, but he was more focused on testing the range of motion with the gauze wrap on.

They all had questions for Ash, but Serena had already told them it was best not to press at the moment after her brief discussion with Brock.

"Ash, is there anything else I can do for you?" Shauna asked as she approached him. Ash shook his head, extending the bag of ice to her.

"Thanks, but I think I'll be going now." Ash said with a two-fingered salute. It took him some time to put his shirt on, but he did so without help.

"Ash are you sure you're okay?" Serena asked with a look of concern after watching him take his sweet time to put his shirt back on. If his grunts of paint were anything to go by, he was still in great pain, as much as he tried to hide it.

"I'm completely fine. You don't need to worry." Ash assured them as he rose to his feet. He seemed unsteady when he first got up, but he waved off their concerns as he made his way to the door. Sparing them a nod of thanks for their time, he left and Shauna's apartment became deathly silent.

With a heavy sigh, both Miette and Serena dropped themselves down onto the couch, no longer in the mood to continue with movie night. It had been roughly an hour since Ash and Brock had arrived, and they had completely altered the tone of the night.

"So what should we do now?" Shauna asked her friends.

"I don't know." Serena said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Shauna, do you mind if I ask you something?" Miette asked as she glanced toward Shauna. She furrowed her brow but invited Miette to proceed. "Earlier when you were talking to Ash, he said 'let's keep this how it's always been. You patch me up, no questions asked.' Has this happened before?"

Shauna sighed deeply at this, her face becoming uncharacteristically expressionless. Miette and Serena shared a glance, realizing that it must have been serious if Shauna was saddened by this.

"…Yeah, for the last couple of months actually. On the first Sunday of the month, he'll turn up at my place, like that." Shauna admitted. "You know what, no. _Recently_ he's been showing up like that. It was never that bad at first."

"But what could he be doing to get so beat up?" Miette asked out loud, resting her head against the back of the couch. "Well, at least he's smart enough to go to a med school drop out to make sure he's okay."

"Miette!" Serena whispered harshly to her.

"Serena, it's okay." Shauna insisted with a weak smile. "You of all people should know it's not that big a deal to talk about me leaving medical school."

"Still, there's no reason to rub salt on an open wound." Serena pointed out as she looked at Miette.

"Don't worry about it, Serena. Miette is right, I'm glad Ash has enough sense to come to me. I may not have a finished med school, but I can't turn a blind eye to someone that's suffering." Shauna declared.

"So he's been coming by your place for months for you to treat him?" Miette asked for clarification. Shauna gave her a nod in response. "And you haven't bothered to ask him what he's doing?"

"Uhh…" Shauna hesitated at this, but taking a look at her two friends seated in front of her, she realized that she should come clean. "Okay…we made a deal actually. He'd pay me for treatment every month, and I'd keep my mouth shut about it."

"Ash is giving you hush money?!" Miette exclaimed, causing Serena to clap her hand over Miette's mouth.

"Do you really have to be so loud about this Miette?" Serena asked her softly. Serena grimaced as something touched her hand and pulled it away from Miette's mouth, shaking it furiously. "Ugh Miette, that's so gross~"

Miette blew a raspberry at Serena.

"What'd she do?" Shauna inquired.

"She licked my hand." Serena mumbled, shooting the bluenette a halfhearted glare.

"So Ash was paying you to keep quiet?" Miette asked Shauna a second time, her voice much lower this time since it was almost midnight.

"Yeah…and I couldn't say no to the money either. I needed it." Shauna explained, causing Miette and Serena to frown at her.

"Don't tell me your dad is still giving you a hard time." Miette muttered incredulously.

"Well he did pay my tuition, and he covered all of my bills while I was in school. Of course, he's going to be upset with me for dropping out." Shauna pointed out softly.

"It's been almost a year though." Miette stated with irritation evident in her voice. "He really needs to get off your case."

"It's no big deal guys." Shauna assured them, but both of her friends gave her a narrow glance in response. They weren't done with this subject, but there was something more pressing that they needed to discuss.

"So if you don't mind me asking Shauna, would you have said anything if Ash ever came to you like, really hurt?" Serena inquired as she made eye contact with Shauna.

"Like I was saying, at first it really wasn't anything serious. A few bumps and bruises. The worst thing he had come to me with was a sprained wrist. Then all of a sudden last month he showed up on a Monday asking me for gauze." She explained to them, recalling when she had first seen that wound that had since left a nasty scar. "He got stabbed or something last month, but someone forced him to go to a clinic to get it checked out."

Serena's eyes became wide now.

"He was stabbed?" She exclaimed, receiving a nod from Shauna.

"Yeah, and they beat him up too. His entire upper body was black and blue. He wouldn't answer my questions, but I'm pretty sure he was attacked." Shauna revealed to them.

"And what would you have told him if he hadn't gone to the clinic?" Serena asked her suddenly. Shauna furrowed her brow at such a question.

"I would've taken that numbskull there myself." Shauna said with a huff.

"God, what do you think that moron is doing to get hurt like this?" Miette asked, looking toward Shauna.

"Me? How should I know?" Shauna exclaimed, pointing at herself.

Serena bit down on her lower lip. She knew what Ash was doing to get so banged up, but…should she tell them?"

 _"You'll be putting yourself at risk, and Ash at an even greater risk."_

It was obvious that Ash was putting himself in harm's way, but Brock's warning left Serena feeling apprehensive. Ash's involvement with the Red Skulls meant that anyone who knew about this could be at risk…but what were the stakes? Did she want all of her friends involved in this? What consequences could there be if she did tell them?

"Serena you look like you've seen a ghost." Miette pointed out as she and Shauna stared at Serena. It was evident that Serena was lost in thought as her eyes darted all over the place, unable to focus on anything in particular.

"Is everything okay?" Shauna asked her with concern in her expression. Just taking a glance at her friends put Serena at ease and she knew what she had to do. Shauna had come forward tonight and revealed her secrets to them, and Serena decided that she wouldn't hide anything either.

"Guys, I have something big to tell you. But you have to swear that it'll never leave this room." Serena said to them. Miette and Shauna shared a glance before they returned their gaze to Serena.

The three of them had shared all sorts of secrets with one another, but Serena's tone and expression were different. This wasn't an ordinary secret. It was something that carried a lot of weight.

"What is it?" Miette asked, motioning for her to proceed.

"It's about Ash, or really what he's been up to." Serena began.

"Wait, how do you know?" Shauna asked before recalling that Serena had gone to speak with Brock earlier. "Was it Brock?"

"Yeah, he told me," Serena said with a small nod. "You guys aren't going to like this."

"Well quit dragging this out. Hurry up and tell us." Miette chirped at her impatiently.

"Brock told me that, Ash had been working for…the Red Skulls." Serena revealed to her friends. Shauna wore an expression of shock, but Miette leaned back into the sofa now, crossing one leg over the other.

"Are you serious?" Shauna asked in a whisper, and Serena nodded to her. "So that explains where he's getting that money then."

"Tch, I had a feeling he'd get caught in that crap eventually." Miette muttered, clearly disappointed with Ash. Shauna looked at Miette now with a confused expression.

"What do you mean?" She asked Miette.

"Anyone should've seen this coming. We all know he wants to be a Pokemon trainer. It was only a matter of time before he started doing what all of those trainers do." Miette pointed out for her, causing Shauna to look down.

Shauna had always lived with a touch of blissful ignorance, but now it was as if her eyes had been opened. Despite the regular visits from Ash and the short conversations they had with each visit, Shauna had never realized just how far Ash was willing to go in order to become a Pokemon trainer.

"So what can we do?" Serena asked the two of them, receiving their attention.

Shauna remained silent, but Miette sighed as she rose to her feet.

"The only thing we can do. We're gonna knock some sense into that thick skull of his." Miette proclaimed as she raised her fist into the air.

Even with Miette's declaration, Serena didn't quite have the confidence that her friend had. Almost everyone that Ash knew had expressed their desire for him to pursue something other than Pokemon but to no avail. If Ash was still charging straight toward that dangerous lifestyle, what could they do to stop him now?

* * *

 **Monday, October 3rd**

Seated on the small staircase in front of her home, Cassidy couldn't help but smile at the sight of her two girls as they drew on the sidewalk with large pieces of colorful chalk. Despite the age gap of eight years between them, Casey still loved to play with Macy.

The two of them would often spend their afternoons together, waiting for Ash to return from his activities. It was great how well the two of them got along. Noticing the two of them perk up, Cassidy looked in the direction they were facing and spotted a familiar face.

"Ashy!" Macy exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. She dashed over to him as he approached, latching onto his leg as a greeting. "You're late!"

"I know, I'm sorry Macy but I was busy." Ash said to her as he ruffled her hair with his free hand. She took a hold of this hand and led him back to the entrance of their home where Cassidy and Casey were waiting.

"Well, it's about time you came home." Casey said to him while Cassidy eyed all of the baggage Ash was carrying. He had his backpack, a duffle bag hanging from one shoulder and a large brown bag overflowing with groceries.

"I'm a busy man." Ash retorted with a grin while Cassidy opened the front door, beckoning for him to enter.

"Let's get inside." Cassidy said.

"Ashy, are you gonna have dinner with us?" Macy asked.

"Of course." Ash replied with a bright smile. He had been gone all weekend, after all, so he had missed quite a few meals with them, but he would make it up.

"Go get washed up girls, Ash and I will get dinner started." Cassidy said as she motioned for the two of them to go upstairs. Casey and Macy gave her a nod before they darted up their staircase.

"I'll meet you in the kitchen." Ash said to the blonde woman as she accepted the groceries from him. She watched him head up the staircase as well before peeking into the bag he had brought home. It was filled to capacity and Cassidy was impressed with what she could see. Heading to the kitchen, she laid out everything onto the counter and she was happy to see that Ash picked up all the essentials. Fruit, vegetables, a few pieces of meat, eggs, milk and even some snacks for the girls. The fact that all of this had actually fit into one bag was astounding. Eyeing the chicken that Ash had brought home, Cassidy could already tell what he wanted for dinner.

"I guess I better get started." She said to herself softly as she retrieved her cutting board.

"Are we having chicken tonight?" Ash asked as he joined Cassidy in the kitchen, noticing that Cassidy had begun to remove the packaging on the meat.

"Why not, it seems like a good day to have something special." Cassidy responded as she glanced back at Ash.

"So how did things go this weekend?" Ash inquired as he began to stock the fridge.

"It looks like I should be asking you that." Cassidy said as she gestured toward his cheek, where she could see one of his bruises.

"It was a little more physical that I would've liked." Ash admitted with a chuckle. Cassidy frowned at him, but they had this conversation before and she knew her boundaries when it came to this. Changing the subject, Cassidy gestured to all of the items Ash had come home with.

"Where did you go to get all of this?" Cassidy asked him. She could see that the fruits and vegetables were higher quality than the grocery store they would normally visit.

"There was a little market downtown that I stopped in. It was really nice so I splurged a bit." Ash explained, giving her a grin. Cassidy smiled softly at him in return.

"I hope you know that Macy missed you a whole lot while you were gone." Cassidy pointed out to him as she returned her focus to preparing the chicken. "She doesn't like it when you're gone for so long."

Ash sighed deeply at this, his expression stoic now.

"I know. I'll make it up to her." He replied, and Cassidy chuckled a bit at this.

"Good, because I already have something in mind." She stated and Ash looked at her curiously now.

"What's that?" He asked tentatively.

"There's a block party this weekend. Casey and Macy already have their hearts set on going, and you're going to take them." Cassidy said as she motioned to him with her elbow. Ash blinked hard as he remembered Brock's words.

 _"Next Saturday, there's a block party in midtown. N is going to have a battle there."_

Ash frowned mentally as he looked into the fridge now and his gaze became fixated on the light bulb within it. He had to see the battle N would be taking part in. There was no way he could miss it! Not if he wanted to keep progressing as a trainer.

But…

He couldn't let down Casey and Macy like that. Especially Macy.

So his only option…was to do both.

"Yeah, I can take them." Ash stated.

* * *

 **Tuesday, October 4th**

"Morning Ash, are you feeling better today?" Dawn asked him curiously as she stood in front of his desk in Ms. Fantina's classroom. First period would be starting in a few minutes, affording them some time to chat.

"Feeling better, from what?" Ash asked her in return, looking up at her with a raised brow.

"You didn't come to school yesterday." Dawn pointed out. "I just thought…you were sick. Wait, so you were playing hooky?"

Ash couldn't help but laugh at her question.

"What's so funny?" She pressed, confused by his response.

"Dawn, I don't think anyone has said _'playing hooky'_ in like twenty years," Ash said after he had settled down. Dawn puffed out her cheeks with a 'hmph.' "And I wouldn't say that I skipped school yesterday, I had something come up at the last minute."

"Oh…okay." She said softly, unsure of where to go from here. She had been under the impression that Ash had been sick and she spent the last day trying to think of what she could do to help him feel better.

"I hope I didn't have you worrying about me Dawn," Ash said to her as he glanced up to make eye contact with her. When she immediately looked away, he could tell that he had hit the nail on the head. Studying her for a moment, Ash couldn't help but recall when he had gone to Shauna's home on Sunday night and the looks of concern and astonishment he had received at his sudden arrival. He didn't want anyone else to worry about him. "Aww…sorry, Dawn. I didn't mean to make you worry. Can I make it up to you?"

"What do you have in mind?" Dawn asked him curiously as she returned his gaze now.

"Well, this Saturday there's a block party in midtown. I'm taking Casey and Macy, my younger sisters-" He added off handily. "-and uh, I wouldn't mind some extra company."

"I…I'd love to." She said after a moment, causing Ash to smile kindly at her.

"Great, I'll give you the details once I tell the girls we've got company." Ash said to her as the bell chimed.

Dawn returned to her seat beside May since class would be starting, and her friend gained a sly grin at the sight of Dawn's rosy cheeks.

"What?" Dawn asked upon noticing May's expression.

"What were you and Ash talking about?" May asked saucily, her grin widening.

"Tha-That's none of your business." Dawn replied with a scoff.

"He must have complimented you," May said out loud as she began to think about the possibilities. "No, you're past the point where a compliment makes you blush. He asked you out on a date didn't he?"

"Wha-How'd you-" Dawn shut her mouth immediately, realizing that she had revealed exactly what had taken place. May was smiling ear to ear at her.

"So this is like, your third date with him?" May asked, but Dawn kept her silence. This left May to continue speaking out loud, much to Dawn's dismay. "Oh, so that's how you're going to treat me. Well, I'm so glad you fill me in on everything. Let's see, your first date with him was when you said he took you to some party. And then there was our double date, so oh my gosh, this is your _third_ date him now!"

" _Not so loud May_." Dawn whispered menacingly, silencing the brunette beside her. May stuck her tongue out at Dawn who was too busy looking back at Ash, checking to see if he had heard May's big mouth. Fortunately, no one had really been paying attention to May as she spoke, not even Ash.

"So, when are you going to make it official with him?" May asked her with a straight face now, waiting for Dawn's reply. Dawn leaned back in her seat, now realizing that she had never given this subject much thought.

"I…don't really know."

* * *

 **Wednesday, October 5th**

Dawn stood at the entrance to the cul-de-sac that led up to North Vermilion High, anxiously waiting for her ride. She was breaking the usual routine she had established of returning home right after school, deciding to spend a little time with someone she hadn't spoken to face to face in a while now. She had been rather negligent of keeping in contact with this person though, and now Dawn found herself wondering if they might have blown her off due to this.

Spotting a silver car rolling up to the cul-de-sac, Dawn felt a wave of relief wash over at the sight of the familiar car. As it came to a stop in front of her, the driver lowered the passenger window revealing that she sported a head of red hair and a pair of aviators.

"Zoey!" Dawn exclaimed, beaming at her friend who unlocked the doors for her to enter the vehicle. "I was beginning to think you didn't see any of my messages."

"Well, I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me, Dawn." Zoey retorted as she lowered her sunglasses to shoot Dawn a glance as she slipped into the passenger seat.

"I could never forget about you, Zoey. I've just been really busy." Dawn replied exasperatedly as she placed her hands together, begging for forgiveness.

"Oh, I know. May has been filling me in with all of the details." Zoey replied, chuckling at the horrified expression that took shape on Dawn's face.

"Is she telling everyone about what's going on?!" Dawn exclaimed.

"No, just me…as far as I know." Zoey said after a brief moment of thought. She then motioned for Dawn to put on her seatbelt so that they could get going.

"Oh May, you just make me want to rip my hair out!" Dawn hollered as Zoey took off, quickly rounding the cul-de-sac and heading back out of it. In a flash they were out on the main streets, joining the traffic heading toward the east side of Vermilion City.

"So in your messages, you said you wanted to talk. Just like the old times, huh?" Zoey said to her, receiving a nod from Dawn.

Dawn and Zoey went way back. The two of them had first met back in middle school, and they had gotten to know each other very well in the years since then. Dawn could talk about anything with May and know that her friend would be supportive of her decision. However, when Dawn needed someone to help her think objectively, Zoey was the person she'd talk to. Zoey was wise beyond her years. She was eighteen already, being a few months older than Dawn, but Zoey always helped her weigh the pros and cons of a situation.

"So what's been on your mind?" Zoey asked her, although she was certain that she already knew what Dawn wanted to talk about it. It definitely had to do with Ash Ketchum.

Zoey had yet to meet him properly, but she had heard all of the stories from May. The amazing duet piece that they had worked on together. How they went parasailing and jumped down into the ocean. The fact that Ash seemed to bring out a side of Dawn that not even May was familiar with.

"Well since May has been keeping you up to date, I guess you know about Ash already." Dawn assumed, and Zoey gained a sly smirk.

"You mean your boyfriend right?" She teased, recalling that May said she would get a kick out of teasing Dawn.

The bluenette, however, didn't even respond to this. The mention of a 'boyfriend' left her to be consumed by her thoughts.

"We're not a couple, or at least not…forget that." Dawn said as she shook her head. Zoey dropped her smirk now, realizing how serious this was to Dawn.

"Forget what?"

"Well you see, yesterday May was asking me if Ash and I were going to become a couple," Dawn revealed to her. "And I couldn't really come up with an answer for her."

"Okay…I know some people think dating is more of a casual thing. Is that what you want with Ash?" Zoey asked her now.

"I've never dated anyone before, so I don't really know what I should expect from it." Dawn reasoned, and Zoey nodded her head.

"Then tell me why _you_ think that you and Ash should be a couple." Zoey said, causing Dawn to look down as she went through her thoughts again.

"I mean, we've gotten to know each other pretty well since we first met. I've gone to his house and met his family. He's been to my house, or the front gate really but my mom has met him and she actually likes him." Dawn explained to her. "So it's not like there's anyone I know that would be against it."

Zoey frowned, although this went unnoticed by Dawn.

'So Nando has been keeping quiet…' Zoey noted to herself as she thought of her dark haired friend.

Nando had been charmed by Dawn when they first met during their freshman year of high school, but he could never muster the courage to act on this. Dawn had never been interested in dating up until now, and it was becoming clear that if Nando continued to hesitate, he was going to lose Dawn to Ash.

"So Dawn, what is it about Ash that you like so much?" Zoey asked her curiously.

"He's…unbelievable," Dawn stated after a pause, a smile forming on her face. "Just being with him, it makes me…well he acts like he's invincible, and I feel the same way when I'm around him like I can defy the whole world."

Dawn recalled when she went parasailing with Ash last month, thinking of the moment they had slid out of the seat leaving them to fall over thirty feet into the ocean. Despite this daunting fall though, she didn't feel any fear. Ash held her hand tightly, and it felt as though he had shared his courage and confidence with her, and he assured her that they would be alright.

"He's a really good artist too. Saying he's talented doesn't do him any justice." Dawn went on.

Their duet piece was still on display in the main lobby of the school. Students and staff alike were still expressing their admiration concerning the painting to Dawn days after its completion.

"But then there are these moments where it's like…" Dawn paused with a frown. "I don't really know how to describe it, but it's almost like… _he's sparkling_."

She could recall seeing him really smile for the first time amongst his old friends when they had gone to the subway station.

She remembered staring at him incredulously as he suggested that they jump down into the ocean, promising her that she wouldn't be harmed.

She felt her chest becoming tight as she remembered the moment Ash shared his goal to her in his bedroom, looking out the window with the sun shining down onto him.

"I don't know what is it about him, but I just want to spend time with him." Dawn said, causing Zoey to sneak a glance at Dawn. The blue haired girl wore this goofy smile as she talked about Ash. In fact, she wouldn't _stop_ talking about Ash.

"Alright, alright Dawn," Zoey interjected as they came to stop a red light. This silenced Dawn's endless blubbering, although Zoey's next comment would cause it to resume. "I'm glad you're in love."

"In love!?" Dawn hollered in response, causing Zoey to wince. Zoey shrugged her shoulders.

"It seems that way to me." The redhead concluded. Zoey wasn't familiar with what Dawn was experiencing, but the way she described everything made it seem so magical.

Perhaps it really was love.

Dawn flushed red, placing her hands on her cheeks as she leaned back into her seat. Could she really have fallen _in love_ with Ash?

Zoey stifled a laugh at Dawn's expression before she focused on the road as the light turned green. She concealed a small frown though because she had such mixed feelings about this.

She had always been rooting for Nando, but seeing Dawn so happy at the moment made her realize that things didn't always work out the way you'd expect them to.

* * *

 **Saturday, October 8th**

"She's here, she's here!" Macy exclaimed in response to the doorbell chiming. Ash chuckled as the small girl darted to the front door, anxiously waiting to leave.

Following her to the entrance of their home, Ash opened the door to find none other than Dawn waiting out on the porch. She was dressed casually for the warm weather, and her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. Their eyes met briefly, and they shared a moment of silence. Then Ash's gaze was yanked downward to see Macy tugging at his cargo shorts.

"She's here, let's go!" Macy declared.

"Go tell Casey we're ready." Ash said as he motioned for Macy to go retrieve her sister. Dawn couldn't help but giggle as Macy dashed off to the kitchen now in search of Casey.

"She's so adorable." Dawn noted and Ash chuckled.

"She's really excited about today. She's been talking about it all week, so I don't want to keep her waiting any longer." Ash explained. "Just let me get my backpack."

Heading upstairs to his room, Ash found his backpack waiting for him on his bed. Snatching it up along with his favorite red and white cap, Ash stepped out of his room and kneeled down beside the small basket that acted as a bed for Pikachu.

"Pikachu, it's time to go." Ash said to the small Pokemon as he opened up his backpack for it.

"Chaaa-" It replied, scratching the back of its head.

"I know you're not the biggest fan of my backpack, but it's the only way you'll get to see N with me." Ash explained to his partner.

"Pi-ka." Pikachu stated, and Ash rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I owe you for this one. We'll discuss the details later." Ash said as Pikachu climbed into the bag. Closing it, Ash left a slight opening to make sure Pikachu got some fresh air in there. Carefully putting the bag on his shoulders now, Ash returned to the front door where all the girls and Cassidy were waiting for him.

"Let's go!" Macy declared once again, standing in front of the open door. Hoisting her up from the floor, Ash set her down on his shoulders before looking toward Cassidy.

"We'll be back later!" Ash said to her with a nod. Casey and Dawn gave the woman a wave as they all left. "We're going now Macy, are you happy?"

Macy only pointed ahead of him, giving him the command to press forward.

* * *

"Wow~!" The group exclaimed as they arrived at one of the entry points to the block party. It was truly massive. The decorations were brilliant with streamers and balloons everywhere. Various booths were set up on both sides of the street giving out snacks and treats to those who passed by. Not only that, but there were booths featuring games to win prizes, most of which were heavily populated.

"So what do you girls want to do first?" Ash asked kindly as he glanced back at Casey and Dawn who stood behind him.

"I heard that there's a live band in the park up the block." Dawn pointed out, causing Ash to raise an eyebrow for a moment.

He had been wondering how N would take part in a Pokemon battle during a block party. Now it all made sense. With the commotion from the live performance in the park, a Pokemon battle would go unnoticed.

"Well, I'm not leaving with some of the prizes." Casey noted as she eyed some of the stuff animals that were hanging from the top of the booths for those who succeeded.

"I want cotton candy!" Macy announced up.

"Alright, so it looks like we have a game plan already," Ash said with a small nod of approval. "We can give a few games a try and get some snacks. Then, later on, we'll head over to the park."

Earning a nod from the girls, they then proceeded into the festivities. With how crowded the streets were, Dawn and Casey had to hold onto the hanging straps of Ash's backpack in an effort to make sure they weren't separated. As they walked, they all marveled at the eye-catching treats and prizes until Macy saw something she couldn't do without.

"Ah, Pikachu!" Macy hollered causing Ash's heart to skip a beat. Did she realize that he had brought Pikachu along with them today? But now, he could still feel the weight of his small Pokemon resting within his backpack. "Up there!"

Looking in the direction the small girl was pointing, Ash experienced a sudden relief as he spotted a plush Pikachu doll hanging from the top of one of the booths. It wasn't often you'd find Pokemon merchandise considering the market for it was small and often ignored.

"Oh, it's so cute!" Casey chimed in before looking toward Ash expectantly. "Ash, you have to get it for me!"

"No, for me!" Macy interjected.

"Can't you win it yourself, Casey?" Ash asked her, receiving a huff in response.

"You know I stink at basketball, that's why I'm asking you." She retorted, pointing to the basketball hoops that hung within the booth.

"Alright, but don't say I never do anything special for you," Ash replied as he removed Macy from his shoulders, placing her on her feet. He then began to roll his shoulder as if to warm up for this. "Let's do this."

Adjusting the cap on his head, Ash approached the booth and immediately received the attention of the young man running the stall.

"You look like you could use something to do." Ash commented with a grin as the young man approached him. His booth was the only one that didn't have people partaking.

"Yeah, no one really wants these Pokemon dolls. I told my boss it wasn't a good idea but what does he know." The young man muttered before waving off his comment. "My name's Dayton. Do you think you can make a basket? One basket wins a prize."

"Let's find out," Ash said as he fished out his wallet. "How much?"

Dayton looked at each of the girls that were accompanying Ash before smiling at him.

"Three dollars, three shots."

"Perfect." Ash noted as he set down on the money on the counter. The young man then handed him a basketball which Ash spent a moment weighing his hands.

"Is Ash good at basketball?" Dawn asked Casey who gave her a slow nod.

"Ashy can do anything!" Macy proclaimed as Ash now looked up at the basket. Dawn smiled at Macy's confidence in her older brother. It was obvious how much he meant to her, and he treated her like a princess in return.

Looking toward Ash now, Dawn watched as he raised the basketball above his head, flicked his wrist and let the shot fly. Their heads followed the basketball as it arched in the air and dropped back down into the net without even touching the rim.

"Heh, nice." Ash said to himself.

"First pick?" Dayton said as he motioned up to the prizes hanging above.

"That Pokemon up there. The yellow one." Ash stated as he pointed to the Pikachu doll that had gained the attention of both Casey and Macy. Retrieving the pole in the corner of his booth, Dayton used this to unhook the Pikachu doll and lower it down to Ash. "Do you have any more of these?"

"You want another one?"

The whole group gave him a nod, so Dayton disappeared into the back of his stall to conduct a search.

"Here you go Macy." Ash said as kneeled down to give her-her newest toy.

"Thanks, Ashy!" She beamed at him, crushing the Pikachu doll in a hug. It was the perfect size for her.

"You had better not choke. I want one of those too." Casey said as if she were giving him a warning.

"You could ask nicely you know." Ash said to her. Casey only stuck her tongue out in response which gained a laugh from Dawn.

Dayton returned with a second Pikachu doll in his hands much to Casey's delight.

"I only had one more actually." Dayton revealed to them.

"We'll take it!" Casey said as she reached out for the doll, but Dayton raised it to keep it out of her reach with a grin.

"Not yet. Your buddy still has to make another shot for this one." Dayton stated as he handed Ash another basketball. Ash went through his routine again before he shot the basketball. This time it rattled around the rim before it fell through, getting a cheer from Casey. With a laugh, Dayton placed the Pikachu doll in her hands and Casey accepted it with a gracious thanks to both of them.

"So Dawn, what can I get for you?" Ash asked confidently now as he looked toward her.

"Uh…" Dawn glanced down at the two younger girls beside her that were enthralled with their new items. In truth, she found Pikachu just as adorable as they did and she would've been ecstatic to bring home a plush doll of that Pokemon. She would have to make do with something else though. Looking around at the selection of dolls, Dawn soon spotted one that caught her attention.

A small blue penguin doll.

"I'd like that one." Dawn said as she pointed it out for them. Raising an eyebrow at the sight of it, Ash then gave her a nod.

"Coming right up." He said as he received the last basketball. Lining it up, Ash shot again but he didn't like the path of the ball. It hit the side of the rim sharply this time, rattling against both sides before it popped out.

"Oh, tough luck." Dayton said as he looked back at Ash who was already taking his wallet out again.

"Ash, you don't need to do that." Dawn interjected as she stepped up, placing a hand on his wallet before he could take out some more money.

"Dawn, it's just a dollar." Ash tried to reason with her.

"Trust me, it's not that big a deal." She replied. He furrowed his brow, giving Dawn a look of uncertainty. She winked at him and motioned for them to keep moving.

Seeing Dawn wink at Ash, a small grin formed on Casey's face as they all began to follow Dawn now.

"Cotton candy!" Macy exclaimed once she back on Ash's shoulders, spotting the fluffy pink treat in the distance. "I want some."

"Macy, you stay with Dawn. Ash and I will get it." Casey said to her younger sister. Macy complied as Ash set her down on her feet again. Casey then grabbed his forearm and dragged him along, separating them from Dawn and Macy.

"Whoa, what's the rush?" Ash asked her as he glanced back at Dawn and Macy who they had left.

"I wanted to talk to you." Casey stated as they slowed down a bit. They had some distance from Dawn now.

"About what?" Ask asked skeptically.

"Do you like Dawn?" Casey asked with a smug little grin. Ash, however, only raised an eyebrow in response which caused Casey to deflate just a bit. She had been hoping for a bigger reaction from him, but it was like he didn't seem to mind that she had come to this conclusion.

"She's pretty cool." Ash replied calmly.

"Ugh, you can be so lame," Casey said before pointing at him. "Do you like her or not?"

"She's alright." Ash said simply, giving Casey a wink which only caused her to give a sigh of irritation.

* * *

"Macy, try not to get any of it on my hat, okay?" Ash said to the girl who was seated on his shoulders again with a small cone of cotton candy in her hands.

"O-kay." She replied. Dawn and Casey couldn't help but giggle quietly though. The back of Ash's cap already had remnants of Macy's cotton candy on it, but they would let Ash find out about that on his own.

'It's almost twelve forty-five right now. Only thirty minutes left until the battle starts.' Ash said to himself after checking the time on his phone. "Do you all want to check out the band now? We're pretty close to the park already so I don't see why not."

"I'm fine with that." Dawn said, getting a nod of agreement from Casey.

"Onward!" Ash declared as the pointed in the direction would be walking in.

As they reached the street corner where the block party ended, Dawn caught sight of the park at the center of midtown. It stretched for multiple blocks and was filled with lush green bushes, trees, and pathways leading to all of the landmarks within it. Traffic was moving on this road, but with the festivities extending into the park, there were numerous crossing guards in place to make sure no one got hurt trying to reach the park.

"What's with that face Dawn?" Ash asked her as he eyed her expression. "Haven't you been to this park before?"

"No, I haven't actually. I've heard about it but this my first time coming to it." Dawn admitted, surprising Casey.

"What, did you grow up in a box?" Casey exclaimed, causing Ash to flick the side of her head. "Oww!"

"That's rude Casey," Ash stated before he returned his gaze to Dawn. "But seriously, did your parents keep you in a box?"

"Hey, how come you can ask that and I can't?" Casey demanded to know.

"Because I'm older." Ash retorted.

"That's not fair!" Casey proclaimed as she raised her hands, attempting to flick Ash's head now.

"Hey, hands off," Ash said as he swatted away her attacks. "Macy! Protect me!"

"Casey, stop hurting Ashy!" Macy commanded her sister who ceased her assault on Ash.

Dawn giggled at the way the three of them interacted. They all got along so well, and it made her wonder what it would be like if she had a sibling of her own.

"Come on guys." Ash said as the crossing guard signaled them to cross the road. As they crossed the road, they began to hear the commotion from within the park, most likely coming from the band that was playing.

"It's this way!" The group of four noticed a young girl leading her mother into the park as well, eager to see the band. Following this pair, the group found themselves reaching the large pound near the center of the park. A stage had been set up in the open field beside the pond, and there was ample space for the audience to dance right in front of the stage and others could relax at a farther distance.

"Macy, let's dance!" Casey said as she raised her hands. Ash kneeled down for Casey to collect her sister from his shoulders.

"Ashy, you come too!" Macy ordered him, and Ash could only laugh before agreeing.

"Alright Macy, but only if Dawn dances with us." Ash said as he glanced at the bluenette. Recalling that Dawn had revealed that she wasn't much of a dancer last month, Ash saw this as an opportunity to help her get in some more practice.

"Well, I guess I don't get much of a choice." Dawn said sheepishly before Ash and Casey took her hands and led her into the dancing area. As they joined the audience, the band started a new song that everyone recognized. There were several whoops from the audience as the introduction started, many people beginning to clap to the beat.

"Alright Dawn, you got to show us something here!" Ash called out to her. She was the only one that wasn't moving at the moment. Ash, Casey, and Macy were all grooving to the beat but they were all looking at her, waiting for her to start as well.

Seeing Dawn's apprehension though, Ash moved a bit closer to her and took one of her hands. Now as he shifted from one foot to the next in sync with the beat, Ash motioned for Dawn to follow his movements. As the audience joined the lead vocalist in singing the lyrics, Ash led Dawn along to the beat. She blushed as she followed his steps, but they were easy enough for her to grasp quickly.

As the song reached its climax, Ash began to throw in some moves of his own. Then he jumped over to Macy and Casey, taking a moment to twirl each of them with one hand, laughing as he did so. The audience burst into applause as the song ended and the girls asked Dawn if she was having fun. As they did so, Ash took out his phone again to check the time.

'Alright, ten minutes to get to there.' Ash said to himself as he reached out to tap Dawn's shoulder.

"What's up?" She asked as she and Ash backed away a bit to speak.

"I'm heading to the bathroom. Keep an eye on the girls for me." Ash said to her. She gave him an okay signal, and Ash took one last glance at Macy and Casey. He was certain that they wouldn't give him any trouble while he was gone, and he trusted Dawn enough to watch them.

Giving Dawn a two-fingered salute, Ash went off grasping the straps of his backpack. He was excited at this opportunity to see N again. Any chance to see him in a Pokemon battle would surely be a learning experience.

Crossing the park, Ash used the concrete pathways until he arrived at the more forested section of the park. Checking his surroundings quickly, Ash waited until no one was in sight to slip off the pathway, disappearing into the foliage lining it. As he pressed forward, Ash began to hear several small voices which could only belong to the trainers. Finally, he arrived at a small clearing where he spotted multiple trainers, both male and female, with their Pokemon standing around the edge of this area.

'Whoa, there's a Butterfree…and a Hypno.' Ash noted to himself as he observed some of the Pokemon. They were all partially concealed within the bushes, waiting for the battle to commence. Some of the trainers were chatting, but more of them were keeping quiet. "Pikachu, it's time to come out."

"Pi-ka." Pikachu exclaimed as it poked its head out of his bag with a sigh of relief.

"Oh come on Pikachu, it can't be that bad in there," Ash mumbled, causing Pikachu to roll its eyes before it climbed out of the bag and onto his shoulder. "So remember to pay close attention Pikachu. We're definitely going to have a match with N, so we have to figure out his battle strategy ahead of time."

"You're going to have a match with N?" A new voice exclaimed, causing Ash and Pikachu to look around wildly. A young guy with spiky brown hair poked his head out of the bush beside them, earning a gasp from the duo.

"Were you there the whole time?" Ash asked in return.

"Well yeah. If the cops show up I wanted to make sure I had a good hiding spot." He replied, shooting Ash a grin.

"Hmm, fair point." Ash said with pursed lips. He hadn't even thought about what he would do if the authorities showed up.

"I'm Ritchie by the way." Ritchie added, introducing himself to Ash. He extended one of his arms out of the bush to shake hands with him.

"Ash."

Ritchie then pointed to Pikachu who was perched on Ash's shoulder.

"I see you've got a Pikachu there." Ritchie continued as he retracted his arm into the bush to grab a Pokeball. Releasing the Pokemon from with it, Ash and Pikachu watched curiously as the white flash of light jumped down to the ground and took shape. Low and behold, he had a Pikachu of his own.

"Pi-kaaa!" Ash's Pikachu exclaimed at the sight of Ritchie's.

"I've got one too," Ritchie said as Ash's Pikachu jumped to the ground to begin conversing with Ritchie's. "Although mine goes by the name Sparky."

"Nice man." Ash complimented him as he watched their Pikachu interact. His Pikachu seemed to be absolutely ecstatic as they spoke.

"So what's this I hear about a match with N?" Ritchie asked him once again.

"Oh well, I don't officially have a battle with him scheduled or anything. I just want to battle him like any other trainer." Ash replied sheepishly, chuckling a bit. "So we're here to try and learn a bit more about how he battles."

"Hey, watching the best trainers go at it is the best way to learn. Well, besides actually battling of course." Ritchie pointed out. "So how long have you been a trainer?"

"Uh, I've had Pikachu since I was a kid, but we started training seriously together just a few months ago. We only get to practice on the weekends, but I already know that isn't enough to if we're going to improve." Ash replied, earning a nod of respect from Ritchie.

"That's the way it is man. If you want to make it as a trainer, you've got to go all in." Ritchie stated. He knew that all too well.

"And how long have you been at it?" Ash asked him curiously.

"Two years. Best time of my life." Ritchie responded with an approving smile. "It gets rough at times, but I know I made the right choice. I don't know if it'll pay off down the line, but I'm having a blast doing this."

Ash grinned at his remark, glad to know that there were trainers out there with no regrets about committing to this lifestyle.

"Hey, I think they're going to start soon." Ritchie noted as he saw two trainers step into the clearing, one of which Ash recognized. N stood proudly with his Zoroark alongside him. On the opposite side of the clearing was a woman with short red hair and bright lipstick, leaning against the Rapidash that stood beside her.

"Who's that lady?" Ash whispered to Ritchie.

"That's Laura. She's one of the top trainers in the White Lotus." Ritchie replied. "You could say she's like a tier below N as a trainer."

Ash had never heard of Laura before, but if she was a 'tier' below N, then she must have been really good.

"I heard N was going to battle someone else originally, but something happened last weekend with them and the Red Skulls. I have a feeling he changed his opponent to send a message to the Red Skulls." Ritchie explained.

"What kind of message?" Ash inquired curiously.

"He's asserting himself, telling the Red Skulls that they can't mess with him or the White Lotus. Take a look around, there's a good number of trainers here that are part of the Red Skulls." Ritchie said as he pointed out a few trainers for Ash.

It took Ash a moment to notice that they were wearing red neckerchiefs. That had been his symbol whenever he was meeting with the Red Skulls. How did he manage to miss this detail?

"My gut feeling is that this is why Laura is his opponent now. He's going to show the Red Skulls, and everyone else, that the White Lotus isn't a group of pushovers." Ritchie went on. "It's no wonder he's battling out in broad daylight. He's not even afraid of being caught by the police or anything. If I'm right, I doubt either of them is going to hold anything back for this battle, so make sure you're ready to run at any given moment."

Ash bit down on his lower lip as he watched Zoroark and Rapidash step forward, taking some distance from their trainers. His heart was thumping now at the prospect of witnessing this battle take place. He had come with only the intention of studying N, but now he had an opportunity to see two powerful trainers go at it. He couldn't wait, and they were finally getting started.

Sensing Ash's focus on the battle that was about to commence, Pikachu scaled the body of its trainer until it was back on his shoulder. The two of them shared a brief glance before they returned their gaze to the field.

"Thank you for coming Laura, this means so much to me," N said as he gave her a cheerful smile. Laura returned his expression while her Rapidash stomped its front hoofs, eager to begin. "I'll let you have the first move."

"I hope you don't regret that. Rapidash, let's start strong with Take Down!" Laura barked as she pointed at Zoroark. With a shout, her Rapidash burst forward, quickly gaining momentum as it galloped toward Zoroark.

"Zoroark, stand strong," N stated as Rapidash approached. Planting its feet, Zoroark braced itself for impact. There were some gasps from the audience as the two Pokemon met with a thundering clap. Zoroark slid back several feet as Rapidash pushed it, but the dark Pokemon put its strength on display as it shut down Rapidash's Take Down without being blown away. "Now take it down!"

"Rapidash, Flame Wheel!" Laura called out quickly as Zoroark shifted its weight in preparation to throw Rapidash onto its side. The fire Pokemon responded by engulfing its body in flames, forcing Zoraork to jump back to avoid having his fur set ablaze. This gave Rapidash the opportunity to pounce at Zoroark now that it was unbalanced, aiming to land the first blow of the match.

"Detect!" N said sharply, and Zoroark's eyes became wide as it started Rapidash coming toward it. Time slowed down for Zoroark, allowing it ample time to rebalance itself before it lunged out of the way, cleanly avoiding Rapidash's Flame Wheel. "Now follow up with Shadow Claw!"

Ash leaned forward a bit as Zoroark's claws became ignited in dark aura. Would this be the first clean hit of the battle?

"Rapidash, keep it away with Fire Spin!" Laura declared as Rapidash landed on its feet. Looking in the direction Zoroark was attacking from, Rapidash opened its mouth to unleash a vortex of flames to halt Zoroark's approach. Veering off course, Zoroark came to a stop a short distance from Rapidash, glaring at the Pokemon that had adeptly kept it from landing an attack so far.

"Not bad Laura. I see you've been training with Rapidash." N noted as he grinned at Laura.

"Well we can't have people thinking the White Lotus is just a one-man army. There are plenty of strong trainers in the White Lotus." Laura declared as she looked around the audience with a smirk. Ash felt his chest tighten at this, a great smile on his face.

"Did you hear that Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner, glancing at it out of the corner of his eyes. "We've got a lot of work to do."

N and Laura re-engaged, and Ash was in awe as the two of them exchanged attacks. It was unlike any battle had seen before.

The last time he had seen N's Zoroark, it was in a class of its own against the Pokemon that were being used by the Red Skulls and White Lotus. Zoroark seemed to breeze through its opponents, and it ended a chaotic battle with just one move.

This time, however, Laura's Rapidash was in the same realm as Zoroark. Perhaps it was even on par with the dark Pokemon…or at least that was Ash's initial thought. With each exchange, Ash began to notice the superiority of N's Zoroark. Rapidash was a step slower, a tad weaker, a thought behind. It was hardly noticeable at first, but as the battle pressed onward, the gap between them became apparent to everyone.

Ash couldn't even begin to imagine the training that Zoroark must have completed to reach its current status. It was fast, strong, durable…everything one could want in a Pokemon. With its physical strength alone it could stop some of Rapidash's attacks, further emphasizing its incredible defense. A good portion of Laura's offense had been neutralized by Zoroark's natural strength, forcing her to commit to numerous heavy hitting attacks just to try and create an opening.

N however was…a stone wall. He battled defensively, preferring to counter Laura's attacks when necessary. With these defensive efforts, he and Zoroark were piling up the damage on Rapidash over time.

It must have been demoralizing to face N and Zoroark. They were forcing Laura and Rapidash to use their most exhausting moves, and responding to each of them perfectly. There was no punch Zoroark couldn't take _and_ dish back tenfold.

"Wow…" Ritchie muttered as he held the bridge of his nose. He, like many of the other trainers here, had come hoping to measure the strength of N's Zoroark. This battle with Rapidash only seemed to reiterate the staggering difference in overall ability. Not even one of the best of trainers in the city could force this Zoroark to go all out or make N change his tactics.

"His Zoroark is awesome." Ash added softly. How would he beat this Pokemon? It was superior to Pikachu in every conceivable way at the moment. Not only that, but Ash couldn't be certain if this was how N truly battled. All N was doing was reacting to each of Laura's attacks, if he needed to. That was all Ash had ever seen him do. Was that his style, or was there such a large gap between him and his opponents that he never needed to command Zoroark seriously…?

"Do you really think you can beat him?" Ritchie asked, taking a glance at Ash and Pikachu. To his surprise, both of them were smiling, beaming in fact. They loved every minute of this and it seemed as though Zoroark's dominance of the battle only excited them.

"I don't know…but I can't wait to try." Ash said, and his Pikachu gave a nod of agreement.

Ash struggled to contain himself as he and the other spectators sensed that this battle was reaching its climax. Zoroark and Rapidash had been going back and forth but finally, the white horse gave a weak neigh as its knees buckled. Collapsing to the ground, Rapidash was panting heavily as it stared across the field at its opponent.

The black-furred Pokemon stood almost completely still. Nothing about Zoroark hinted at any form of exhaustion. Ash would've thought that its stamina was simply greater than Rapidash's, but he also knew that Zoroark had been expertly conserving its strength. If this was N's battling style, it was no wonder he stood at the top of Vermilion City as one of the five Kings. Even the strongest trainers and their Pokemon had to overcome a variety of hurdles when facing N, and there was no telling what kind of monster was waiting for those that did surmount this challenge.

"Well, it looks like it's come to this," Laura noted with a small frown, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She had gone into this battle knowing full well that she would lose. No one had ever beaten N. However, her determination was to put on a show for their audience and she fully intended to go out with a bang. "Rapidash, I know you have enough in you for one last attack. Let's show them what we've got!"

With a snort and a groan, Rapidash forced itself back up under its trainer's command. This would be its last attack.

"No holding back, get em with your Flare Blitz!" Laura commanded, extending her hand toward Zoroark.

Zoroark raised its brow at the sight of Rapidash going back onto its hind legs with a battle cry. A tremendous fiery aura lit up around it, becoming so dense that it concealed Rapidash from sight. The ball of fire burst forward, galloping toward Zoroark as it burned away the grassy field in its path.

"Focus Blast." N stated, undeterred by the sight of the rampaging fireball that was racing toward his partner. The dark type raised one hand, stretching it out toward its approaching opponent. A white sphere gathered in its open palm which Rapidash charged directly into…and the result left the crowd speechless.

Despite the glaring difference in the size of each attack, the fire horse was overwhelmed _instantly_. The sphere ripped Rapidash from its feet and sent it spiraling across the clearing. All heads turned to follow Rapidash as it collided with the base of a tree where the Focus Blast attack began to penetrate the dense cloak of fire surrounding Rapidash. Stunned from the blow, the fire that had offered Rapidash a brief moment of protection would prove to be its own undoing as its fiery coat began to burn wildly. Its flames now uncontrolled would burn hotter than before, melting away the outer layer of the Focus Blast that contained the pure energy within. Now with no container, the energy surged outward as though it were a bomb.

The ground shook violently as a gust of wind flew out. Ash and Ritchie placed a hand on top of their caps to make sure they weren't blown away with the wind. The other trainers marveled audibly at the show of power, some of them observing that Rapidash lay beneath the shattered remains of the trunk it had it. Others looked up in awe at the cloud of black smoke that had erupted into the air. Their admiration for N's Zoroark was short lived they realized that this explosion had done much more than mark the end of the battle. The smoke was a clear indication of their location, and there was clear evidence that a Pokemon battle had taken place here.

Chaos and pandemonium set in immediately.

"Ash, we gotta go!" Ritchie barked at Ash as he raised his Pokeball, returning Sparky to it. The trainers that had been spectating had scattered, trying to put all the distance they could between themselves and the site of this battle. "If the cops catch us we'll get searched and if we're caught with Pokemon or a Pokeball coming from something like this…we're definitely going to jail!"

* * *

 **A/N**

So this was a pretty loaded chapter and a big one to boot. So I'm glad to finally publish it.

My battles scenes are a work in progress, and I'm hoping to be much improved once we arrive at the major battles in this story. There still a ways off, but I'm open to any tips and suggestions some of you might have.

I just discovered Pokemon Origins and Generations two weeks ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. As I've said before, I'm catching up on a lot of Pokemon related media, but if you haven't seen that movie/videos, please check them out. They do a fantastic job going through the universe that's established in the Pokemon games, and I must say that I wish the games could get their own anime, perhaps geared toward an older audience.

As always, I have to give a big shout out to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt as well as those of you who read and reviewed! I'm aiming to upload another chapter in March so be on the lookout for it!

Thanks again and have a wonderful day!


	10. A Long Walk

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Nando was having a great day, though he was more accustomed to spending his weekends at home. One of his close friends had contacted him, informing him that they would be performing at the block party in midtown today. They insisted that Nando come out of his little den for the afternoon to hear them.

Nando had done just that. His intention was to leave right after the performance, but on his way out of the park, he caught sight of something interesting - a blue-haired beauty. At first, he thought he might have been hallucinating, but his eyes were not deceiving him. It was none other than Dawn Berlitz!

She was at a small ice cream vendor with two girls accompanying her. Nando kept his distance as he watched Dawn purchase an ice cream cone for each of the girls and then led them to a quieter area where they found a bench to sit back and eat.

The two of them meeting in the park like this…it was a one in a million a chance. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for weeks for! Would he be able to take advantage of this…?

Zoey had spoken to him on Friday after school. The redhead was aware of Nando's feelings for Dawn, and she felt the need to remind Nando that he couldn't be content sitting idly beside Dawn.

" _Nando, you can't keep waiting around forever. Dawn's a pretty girl and some guy is going to come in and snatch her if you take too long."_

Gulping audibly, Nando then took a deep breath as he worked up the nerve to approach Dawn. He had this plan in mind for ages, but he could never find the courage to follow through.

In two weeks Nando had a piano recital. It was a little event that was organized by one of the performing arts schools in Vermilion City for aspiring musicians. Nando had received a recommendation months ago to take part, and he began composing a piece for it. As he worked, Dawn was the only thought on his mind, and soon enough Nando could say that this piece was dedicated to her alone. It was his hope that the message within it would get across to her once she heard it.

'Alright Nando, you can do this.' Approaching the trio of girls now, Nando put on a cheerful smile and waved, earning their attention.

"Nando?" Dawn exclaimed at the sight of her tall friend. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to hear a friend of mine play with his band. I was just leaving actually when I caught sight of some blue hair." Nando explained to her as Casey and Macy observed him curiously. "I don't think there's anyone else in Vermilion City with blue hair."

"That sounds like something May would say." Dawn commented, causing Nando to stifle a laugh.

"So what are you doing here?" Nando asked, looking at the two girls with Dawn.

"I'm here with Ash and his two sisters actually," Dawn revealed, and Nando felt his chest tighten momentarily. "Silly me, I haven't even introduced you guys yet. Casey and Macy, this is my good friend Nando. We go to school together."

Casey looked at him sideways, wondering how such a skinny guy could be so tall. Macy, on the other hand, stared up at him in awe. He was taller than Ashy!

Nando was stunned, to say the least. Ash was nowhere to be found, so he was the last person Nando would've expected…and admittedly, he was probably the only person Nando didn't want Dawn spending time with.

"Nando's the coolest guy I know actually. He can play almost any instrument." Dawn explained for the two girls who began to look at Nando differently now.

"How many?" Casey asked.

"A few." Nando replied sheepishly.

"Don't say that," Dawn interjected. "He's just being humble. But he can play the cello, the violin, piano, guitar. I could go on but I don't want to flatter him too much."

Nando's eyes brightened at this perfect segue.

"Speaking of instruments Dawn, I have a piano recital coming up, would like to come to it?" Dawn became exhilarated at Nando's offer, her lively expression putting him at ease.

"Is that even a question? Of course, I'll be there! I wouldn't miss it for the world." She replied happily.

"Good, it's on Sunday the 23rd." He stated as his phone buzzed in his pocket. Taking out the device, Nando quickly checked his messages before returning his gaze to the girls. "That's my ride actually so I have to go. I'll bring you the tickets at school next week."

"Alright Nando, see you on Monday!" Dawn called out with a wave as he ran off.

Relaxing into her bench now that Nando was gone, Dawn realized that Ash had been gone for quite a while now. Taking out her own phone to check the time, she saw that he had been gone for over twenty minutes. Perhaps he had gotten lost on his way back from the restroom?

Dawn snickered at the thought, but if that did happen she did have his phone number to call him. Glancing at the girls beside her now, Dawn had to admit that she was having a great time with them - they both proved to be good company. Macy was a delight in everything she did, and for a preteen, Casey was incredibly mild mannered. Obviously, Cassidy had done a great job raising both of them.

"So Dawn," Casey said, receiving her attention. "Do you like Ash?"

Casey had been dying to ask this question based not only on Dawn's behavior but Ash's as well. Watching Nando make plans with Dawn further sparked Casey's curiosity about the bluenette's relationship with her older brother.

"What?" Dawn exclaimed, her cheeks reddening.

"So you do." Casey concluded with a small smirk.

"What makes you say that?" Dawn asked her now.

"You've been staring at him so much since we left the house. I thought it was kind of obvious." Casey revealed to her, and this caused Dawn to slap her cheeks in shock.

"Was I really doing that?" Dawn inquired, horrified at the thought of Ash noticing as Casey did.

"Yeah, you were," Casey stated with a nod.

"Oh my gosh!" Dawn said, shaking her head. "The whole time?"

"The whole time," Casey repeated.

"That's so embarrassing!" The bluenette shouted, causing Macy to giggle.

"That's o-kay. I like Ashy too." Macy said looking up at Dawn innocently. Dawn began to laugh at the purity in Macy's eyes, realizing that Macy didn't understand how she and Casey were using the word 'like.'

"He's great, isn't he?" Dawn asked her, and Macy nodded immediately.

"The best!" She declared, beaming brightly.

"So are you guys dating yet?" Casey asked, giving Dawn a sly glance. Dawn sighed deeply before giving her a response.

"No. I'm not really sure if I want to, or even should take the next step with Ash yet." Dawn revealed to her. She was surprised to be having this discussion with Ash's younger sister.

"Well you're the first girl Ash has invited out in a long time." Casey pointed out. "That must mean something."

"I don't want to read into anything too much." Dawn replied half-heartedly. In the back of her mind, however, she was hoping that this did have a deeper meaning. Just as Dawn was becoming lost in her thoughts, there was a deafening boom that caused her to wince visibly. It was followed closely by a noticeable tremor, causing her to instinctively grab hold of the arm of the bench.

Macy jumped, dropping her ice cream on the ground as the bystanders began to point and shout. Following the direction they were pointing in, Dawn saw a plume of black smoke rising into the air from another section of the park. Dawn felt her heart stop at the sight of this as she jumped to her feet.

"What's going on?"

"Was that a bomb?!"

There were questions flying all over the place, and Dawn saw people taking out their phones, and photographing what was taking place. Blinking, Dawn regained her focus as the cries of Macy pounded against her ears.

"Macy, it's okay." Casey assured her sister in an effort to comfort her, but the small girl was terrified.

* * *

Ash and Ritchie were in a dead sprint. The trees whizzed past them as they stomped their feet with each step.

They didn't have a moment to waste.

They had little time to put as much distance between them and the site of N's and Laura's battle as possible.

The explosion that ended the battle had done exactly what Ritchie had predicted- it gained everyone's attention. As they raced through the trees, Ritchie saw the roadway that went around the perimeter of the park. Traffic had ground to a halt, and people were leaving their cars to see what was happening within the park.

"Why aren't we just running across the street?" Ash called out to Ritchie. The roadway was right there for them to cross.

"It's too open for just the two of us to run out. Someone might report that they saw us leaving the scene. It's better for us to use one of the main entrances where there are more people going out." Ritchie explained, and Ash gave a reluctant nod of understanding. He wasn't sure what to make of Ritchie at the moment.

The young man practically demanded that Ash follow him as they escaped from the battle site. He wasn't sure why Ritchie was working so hard to help him, but Ash wouldn't say no to it. Though Ritchie had requested that Ash give him his backpack as they ran.

Glancing at his bag hanging on Ritchie's shoulders, Ash bit down on his lower lip. It seemed rather odd for Ritchie to make such a request from him, but Ritchie insisted that he carry Ash's backpack.

Rather than brood over Ritchie's request, Ash focused on running. The trees were starting to thin out as they reached one of the entry points to the park. This path led to a street corner through a stone archway, and they weren't the only ones sprinting toward it. A pair of officers were entering the park, rushing toward the scene.

Spotting Ritchie and Ash, the two groups came to a full stop as they neared each other.

"What's going on?" An officer exclaimed as he fought to steady his breathing.

"We were passing through when the ground kinda shook. Then some of the trees went up in smoke!" Ritchie proclaimed animatedly, pointing back to the tower of smoke that was still rising from the battle site.

"The hell?" The second officer muttered before looking at his partner. "I'm going in to take a closer look."

The first officer nodded, watching as his coworker dashed off. Then he focused on Ash and Ritchie, furrowing his brow a bit as they met his gaze.

"So what were the two of you doing?" The officer asked as he straightened up, looking from Ash to Ritchie.

"We were going to see the band playing by the pond. I don't really know like, exactly where we were but then suddenly there was this explosion!" Ritchie explained for the officer once again. "My friend here just kind of tore out of there and I followed him."

Ash stood completely still, breathing deeply. They had been running hard and he was trying to regain his composure. Looking at the officer, the man seemed to be satisfied with Ritchie's answer. Eyeing the shoulder straps around Ritchie's torso, the officer noticed he had a backpack on.

"I'm just going to check your bag, alright?" The officer stated, and Ash inhaled sharply. His chest became incredibly tight, the constriction causing him to feel sick.

'Pikachu.' Ash said inwardly as Ritchie turned around freely for the officer. Time slowed down as Ash watched the grown man unzip his backpack. Opening it partially, the officer adorned a look of confusion as he reached into the bag to remove an object from within it.

"What's this?" The officer asked as he pulled out a small blue doll from within the bag. Glancing over his shoulder, Ritchie began to laugh at the sight of the doll.

"That? It's a gift for a girl I know." Ritchie replied easily. The officer made a face before unzipping the bag a bit further, peering into it.

Ash was feeling faint as the officer looked through the bag. He swore his heart was going to stop.

All of the excitement he had held for the past seven days was long gone. Instead, he found himself being choked by an overwhelming sense of fear. Ash stood before an officer, and his partner Pokemon, his comrade in arms, his closest companion couldn't be any closer to this law enforcer. If Pikachu was found, both he and Ritchie would be going to prison for…Ash didn't even know how long they would be sentenced for if they were caught with a Pokemon. Ten years…twenty? A life sentence?

Ash's breathing became labored now, becoming audible to the officer. Looking toward the raven-haired boy, the officer became a bit unsettled.

"Hey, are you okay?" The officer asked as he put the doll back into the bag.

Ritchie eyed Ash curiously as the officer approached him. Ash put a hand on his chest, drawing some shallow breaths. His heart was beating so fast! Taking hold of Ash's wrist, the officer took a moment to check his pulse. Realizing that Ash may be been experiencing a delayed panic attack, the officer placed a hand on Ash's shoulder in an effort to soothe him.

"Calm down kid. Just breathe." The officer said to him.

As the officer tried to help Ash calm down, the radio receiver on his waist began to buzz. Unable to ignore it, he unstrapped it from his belt and raised it to his ear to hear what was happening. Listening to the message, he nodded repeatedly before lowering it once it was finished. The officer made a face as he studied Ash.

"The fire department is going to be here soon and I'll be directing traffic." The officer revealed before looking toward Ritchie. "There should be paramedics arriving soon. Take your friend to them to get checked out."

"Yes, sir!" Ritchie declared as he placed a hand on Ash's back. Rubbing Ash's back slightly, the two of them then began to move slowly, exiting the park.

It was easy to cross the street since traffic had stopped completely. There were people trying to get into the park for a closer look, but the officer denied them entry. Now across the street from the park, Ash and Ritchie separated and ducked into an alleyway where they would have a bit of privacy.

"Man, that was some good acting there Ash," Ritchie exclaimed as he removed Ash's backpack from his shoulders and opened the bag. "You're clear Pikachu."

Beneath the blue doll was Ritchie's jacket, which he had stuffed into Ash's bag earlier. The garment began to shift before Pikachu poked its head out curiously, and upon seeing Ritchie grin it at it, Pikachu climbed out of the bag completely. Upon spotting Ash, Pikachu dashed over to its trainer who embraced it warmly.

"I wasn't acting, man." Ash said as he leaned against the building, breathing slowly as he clutched his stomach with one arm. The uneasy feeling in his gut started to fade after they left the park. Fear had overwhelmed him as the officer searched Ritchie. Fear of being caught, sent to jail, being separated from his family and Pikachu.

"That was real?" Ritchie asked curiously.

"Yeah. I thought for a second that I was…really going to lose Pikachu." Ash replied as he looked down at his Pokemon. He exhaled loudly as he let the relief sink in.

"Sorry to put you through all that Ash." Ritchie apologized

"No, we have to thank you. If you weren't such a quick thinker, Pikachu definitely would've been caught." Ash said, giving Ritchie a thumbs up.

"Aww, no need to say all that." Ritchie replied, waving off the compliment. Ritchie then returned Ash's backpack to him, allowing Pikachu to get back in. Once Pikachu was safely inside, Ash put the back on his shoulders and raised a closed fist to Ritchie.

"Thanks for all your help man. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Like I said, don't mention it," Ritchie replied as he and Ash bumped fists. "Best of luck to ya. Maybe we'll have a battle one day, see if your Pikachu is better than Sparky."

"Definitely," Ash said with a nod of agreement. He couldn't help but notice how similar this was to the day he met Brock. Grinning at Ritchie, Ash reserved a spot in his memory for Ritchie, hoping that they would meet again. "Uh, I have a quick question for you. Why'd you help me out today?"

"What do you mean?" Ritchie asked him in return, his forehead wrinkling.

"I mean that…you didn't have to help me. Is there any reason you did?"

"Not really." Ritchie responded with a shrug. "I know that we gotta look out for each other, right?"

Ash nodded, his respect for Ritchie doubling from that one statement.

"So I'm just doing my part." Ritchie replied nonchalantly before giving Ash a two figured salute. "All the best to ya Ash."

"Back at-cha Ritchie," Ash said as they left the alleyway, going their separate ways. Ash glanced over his shoulder to take one last look at Ritchie, but his phone buzzed in his pocket and he remembered that he didn't come to this block party alone. Pulling out his phone, he saw that it was Dawn calling and he answered immediately. "Dawn, are you guys okay?"

"We're fine, we just can't get Macy to stop crying. You had us worried there though, I called you twice already." Dawn exclaimed in reply. He could hear a lot of commotion coming from her end of the line.

"Where are you?" Ash asked quickly.

"At the corner where we came into the park," Dawn replied and Ash began to run. "Ash, do you know what's happening right now? Do you know if there was really some kind of explosion?"

Dawn's questions caused him to bite down on his lower lip. He wasn't quite sure how to explain anything right now, so he thought it was best to drop the subject altogether.

"It's hard to hear you, Dawn. We'll talk once I get to you guys, I'm already on my way." Ash said before he ended the call. Looking down at his phone, he saw that he had indeed missed a pair of phone calls from Dawn. How did he manage to miss these?! Ash wanted to curse aloud. He had left the girls alone in this mess…he had left Macy unattended.

Thinking of what the small girl must have been going through, Ash picked up his pace as he wiggled through the crowded sidewalk. Soon enough he arrived at the street corner Dawn had told him about, and just as he had expected, it was loaded with people who had come to watch the officers close off the park. Ash worked his way through the crowd until it thinned out. The noise lessened, allowing him to hear the wail of a child that was all too familiar to him.

"Macy?" Ash said out loud as he slipped past the crowd, where only a few scattered people remained. In an instant, he found the source of the cries.

Macy was seated on a bench with Dawn and Casey kneeling down in front of the child, her cheeks red and tearstained.

"Macy," Ash called out to her as he ran over to the trio. Hearing his voice, she responded immediately by looking around for him. As soon as she laid eyes on him, she began reaching out toward Ash who picked her upon reaching her.

"Ashy!" She cried out as Ash began to rub her back now, swaying left and right to calm her.

"Shh, you're fine, I'm here." He said to her softly. Dawn was stunned that Macy was now silent.

After being startled by the explosion, Macy became a fountain of tears. The panic that set in left the girl unable to relax as the police ushered everyone out of the park. No matter what Dawn or Casey did, neither of them could calm her. However, being in Ash's arms did the trick.

The more time Dawn spent around Ash, the more she grew to admire him. It seemed like there was nothing he couldn't do!

"Ash, did you see what happened?" Casey asked him. Ash shook his head though.

"No, I was on my way back when that explosion or whatever happened. I got caught up in all the commotion. Sorry, I missed your phone calls, Dawn." Ash said as he looked toward the bluenette.

"It's okay Ash, I'm just glad you're here now and okay." Dawn replied, waving off his apology. Glancing at the park where she could see a pillar of black smoke rising, Dawn knew there were more pressing things to worry about.

"Come on, I think it'd be best if we head home for today. Cassidy will be worried about us from the moment she hears about this." Ash stated, deciding that it was best to end their day here.

Casey and Dawn gave a nod of agreement.

* * *

"Are you all okay?" Cassidy exclaimed upon opening the door. Accepting Macy from Ash, Cassidy placed a kiss on the girl's forehead, glad to see that she was alright.

"Yeah, we're all fine. I'm not sure if anyone got hurt though." Ash said to her as Cassidy motioned for them to come inside. Taking them to the living room, Ash and Dawn were surprised to see that the news channel was already broadcasting the event at the park. It had barely been an hour but the media was already all over it.

"They still haven't figured out what caused the explosion," Cassidy explained as she set Macy down on her feet, kneeling down to inspect the girl. Spinning her around a few times, Cassidy was pleased that no harm had come to her, or any of them for that matter. "I'm just glad you all came home though. And how about you Dawn, are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm good. Thank you for checking." Dawn answered kindly before her phone began to ring. She left the room to answer her call, leaving Ash and Cassidy to speak.

"Ash, I don't think it's safe for Dawn to head home by herself," Cassidy stated.

"I was thinking the same thing," Ash said in reply. After today's events, public transit would likely be thrown off schedule with so many streets in midtown being closed off. Taking the bus would be difficult, and there was no telling how that might go.

Not to mention, Ash had to make it up to Dawn considering that she had been unaware of his real intention for bringing her along. Perhaps this was an opportunity to do just that.

"I'm heading upstairs for a bit." Ash said, receiving a nod from Cassidy.

Heading up to his room, Ash opened up his backpack to let Pikachu out of it. The small Pokemon gave a sigh of relief as it poked its head out of the bag before climbing out completely.

"So…what did you think Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner after shutting the door to his room.

"Pi-kaaaa," It said, scratching back of its head. "Chu, Pikachu."

"Yeah I know, they're really strong. I don't even think we could've beaten Laura and her Rapidash." Ash replied, causing Pikachu to shake its head.

"Chuuu." Pikachu cooed, dropping down onto its bottom as it crossed its arms in front of its chest. Ash took the same pose on the floor as Pikachu, scrunching up his face as he thought deeply.

Replaying the battle between N and Laura in his mind, Ash was astounded by the strength and skill of N and Zoroark. Ash couldn't even begin to develop a game plan to take them on. They were simply on another level, one that he couldn't attain right now.

"Pikachu, do you want to give this a try?" Ash asked his partner, the two of them making eye contact.

"Pi?" It asked in return.

"I mean like, training seriously, as much as we can," Ash explained as he leaned toward the Pokemon. "We're not going to get strong enough to battle N doing some light practice on the weekend. We have to train like we mean it."

"Pika." Pikachu said with a nod of agreement.

"Okay, we'll give it our all from here on out." Ash said, and the two of them grinned brightly at each other.

"Ash!" Cassidy barked from downstairs, ending the discussion between them.

"Alright Pikachu, I'll be home later." Ash said as he grabbed his backpack and dashed out the room.

* * *

"Ash, you can't be serious," Dawn exclaimed as the two of them stepped out of the front door of his house.

"Yes, I am. I'm going to walk you home." He repeated for her as he shut the door. "You already said that your mom can't come to pick you up with all the traffic and stuff."

"But it's like a _four_ hour walk to my side of town Ash." Dawn reminded him, but this didn't bother him at all.

"Sheesh Dawn, it's almost like you don't want to hang out with me," Ash said, causing Dawn to become silent. "I figured since we had to leave the block party so early that we could make up for some of that lost time."

Dawn stared at Ash, her mouth open slightly. She hadn't been expecting an answer like that, and suddenly her cheeks became hot as she realized Ash wanted to spend some time with her alone.

Checking his phone for the time, Ash saw that it was just past three o'clock. They had ample time to get home before dark.

"So, shall we?" Ash said as he extended an arm, motioning for her to begin walking alongside him.

"Why thank you." Dawn said kindly as she took a step, but she was halted by a shout.

"Well well, look who's got a new girlfriend."

The duo looked up to the building adjacent to Ash's home, spotting an older gentleman that was looking down at them from the second-floor window. He was leaning on the windowsill, resting his chin on one hand as he gazed at them with a cheerful smile.

"Mr. Cheeves, she's not my girlfriend." Ash stated as he waved to the older man who returned the gesture.

"Oh really. Then would you be interested in an older man like me?" He asked Dawn with a wide grin. Dawn blushed a bit at the question while Ash rolled his eyes. He then took Dawn by the hand and began leading her down the street, earning a loud laugh from Mr. Cheeves as they left him. Keeping pace with Ash, Dawn was a little surprised that he had taken a hold of her hand so freely, not that she was complaining. It was…nice.

"Don't mind him, he's crazy," Ash said, getting a snort from Dawn as they rounded the street corner, and this gave Dawn an opportunity to look directly into Ash's neighborhood. The few times she had come by so far, she had always gone straight from the car to his house. This time, however, she was right in the middle of everything.

People were seated out on the front porch steps of their homes, lazily chatting with their neighbors or friends. As they passed these people, several of them would stop for a moment to give Ash a quick nod or even bump fists. Everyone seemed to know Ash. At the same time though, Dawn quickly realized that everyone knew each other. It was the…exact opposite of where she lived. She barely knew her neighbors.

As they walked, Ash began to name some of the people for Dawn, giving a piece of information about each of them like what they did for work, if they had a family, where they lived. Dawn was impressed by how well he knew everyone. What seemed like a random person the street to her was someone Ash knew pretty well. It was close-knit society here, even more so than she first thought.

Two blocks over from where Ash lived was a small park with a playground that was heavily populated with children. Ash led Dawn into the park, heading toward the playground which prompted a question from Dawn.

"Ash, where are we going?" Dawn asked him as they reached the playground, earning some glances from the kids playing on it. Taking her up the staircase and into the playground, Ash didn't stop to answer her question. "Ash?"

"Dawn, just relax a bit," Ash told her as they continued. Reaching the summit of the playground, it couldn't be any higher than eight feet off the ground, but there was a red slide which Ash immediately jumped onto and slid down. He gave a whoop upon reaching the bottom, and then he glanced up at Dawn who was looking at him sideways. "Your turn."

"You must be joking." Dawn replied after stifling a laugh.

"Nope. I'm dead serious." Ash replied, but Dawn shook her head.

"I'm not doing this." Dawn said as she spun on her heels to begin walking back down. This caused Ash to raise his arms, waving to the kids that were up top with Dawn.

"Hey you guys, don't let the girl with blue hair get down. She has to use the slide!" Ash called out to them, pointing to the bluenette. Dawn felt a chill as all of the children shifted their gaze to her. In a moment's notice, there was a wall of children blocking her path, trapping her at the summit of the playground.

"Ash, are you kidding me?" Dawn exclaimed, looking back at him.

"Not at all." He replied, giving her a wide grin. He knew that Dawn didn't have it in her to push her way through that group of kids, so she had no choice here. The chatter picked up as they began to move forward, steadily forcing Dawn to move until her back was pressed against the small entrance to the slide. "There's no use fighting it Dawn."

Looking back at Ash once again, Dawn couldn't believe that he was this mischievous…even going as low as to use children against her. She would find a way to pay him back for this but seeing him smile down below, Dawn couldn't help but return it. Shaking her head a bit, she then turned and got into the slide much to the delight of the kids that surrounded her. They began to cheer as Dawn pushed herself forward, racing down the slide until she reached the bottom where Ash was waiting for her. Offering her a hand to help her up, Dawn looked at him expectantly.

"Happy now?" She asked him.

"Very." He stated before giving the kids at the top of the slide a thumbs up. Dawn shot him a narrow glance at this.

"You're crazy, I hope you know that." She stated. Ash laughed a bit and shrugged his shoulders.

"Casey likes to tell me that too." He noted before motioning for Dawn to match his pace.

For a little while, they walked in silence, following the pathway through the park. Dawn spent this time racking her brain for something for them to talk about, but Ash didn't seem to mind the silence between them. Glancing back at the playground that was in the distance, Dawn pursed her lips as she realized there were kids outside. In fact, it was like any other day in this neighborhood even though there had been an explosion in the middle of Vermilion City just a few hours ago.

"Ash, why are all these kids outside right now? Shouldn't they be at home?" Dawn asked, looking toward him.

"Shouldn't you be at home right now Dawn?" Ash asked in return.

"Well, didn't Cassidy say that it's dangerous to be out right now?" Dawn asked him again, reminding him of the reason he was walking her home.

"There's nothing to worry about here Dawn. The biggest thing to worry about in this part of Vermilion City is the people that live here. But the kids…they're untouchable." Ash stated as he took a moment to look back at the playground. "If anyone is stupid enough to do something to the kids, believe me, this whole neighborhood will be going after them."

Dawn nodded in response.

"And look around," Ash said as he nodded to their left where Dawn spotted a pair of men standing beneath the shade of the tree, speaking quietly as they watched the kids from afar. "Everyone is watching the kids. So don't worry, none of them are out here unsupervised."

Spotting a woman seated on a bench ahead of them, Ash then pointed to her.

"Even the bird lady is watching them." He commented.

"Bird lady?" Dawn repeated, wondering who had gained such a title. Following Ash's line of sight, she saw the women in question. She looked to be in her thirties with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a long sundress for the weather and a white bandana over her hair. She had one hand cupped, tossing out some seeds onto the walkway where at least a dozen Pidgey had gathered.

"She feeds the Pidgey-uh, the bird Pokemon." Ash explained as Dawn stared at the scene, quickly understanding how the title 'bird lady' had become attached to this woman. Taking Dawn's hand once again, Ash led her off the pathway, taking them around the bird lady to ensure that they didn't disturb the Pidgey. As they passed her, the woman looked back at them and smiled kindly. Ash waved to her, and Dawn the same meekly before the continued on their way.

"Wow, those Pokemon must be really hungry." Dawn remarked as she looked at all of the Pidgey who were eating up the seeds with haste.

"You know, I used to think that too. But even when she's not feeding them, those Pokemon gather around her." Ash stated as he stopped to look back at the bird lady.

Leaning over, the bird lady extended her free hand toward the closest Pidgey which hopped right into her palm without a second thought. She then straightened up on the bench, raising her hands so that she could examine the Pidgey closely. The two of them shared a moment, simply staring at one another. The Pidgey tilted its head for a moment, then it chirped causing the woman to smile warmly at it.

"But I get the feeling they actually understand each other…though that might sound crazy to you." Ash said, but Dawn paused to continue looking at this woman.

Everything she had heard about Pokemon had always made her believe that they were dangerous creatures that should be kept away from people. Ash, however, was constantly proving to her that there was more to these creatures than what was shown on the news. Now as Dawn looked at the bird lady, observing how she admired the Pokemon in her hand, Dawn could see that it wasn't _just_ Ash who had a different view of Pokemon. There were other people who shared his belief and trust in Pokemon.

* * *

"Where are we going now, Ash?" Dawn inquired since they had come to a stop in front of the entrance to a tall tower that loomed over them.

It was the tallest building on the northern side of Vermilion City, a landmark known as the old radio tower. It was hard to miss it since it stood out compared to the much shorter buildings in this part of the city. Looking up at it, Dawn couldn't help but notice how worn down the tower was a few broken windows here and there.

Almost fifty years ago Vermilion City had been the heart of Kanto's broadcasting stations, but a rival competitor in Lavender Town bought the tower and relocated the staff and assets. Since then the tower had been left to age, becoming nothing more than a landmark.

"I want to show you something cool." Ash said as he motioned for her to follow him into the front entrance of the tower. Several contractors had tried to tear down this tower, but the people living in this area were old fashioned folks. They did everything they could to preserve this old relic, even as the rest of the city became modernized.

"Is it safe?" Dawn asked him as he held the door open for her.

"Yeah Dawn, there's nothing to worry about," Ash said to her, extending a hand for her to join him. Taking his hand, Ash led her through the empty lobby. It was dark and dank, but Dawn felt at ease as she walked with Ash. He led her past the receptionist desk to a large stairwell. "You'll have to forgive me though. No elevators in this building, just stairs."

"Ugh, you owe me big time for this." Dawn said as she pointed a finger at him.

"Deal." Ash said as they began their journey. Despite all of the groaning she did, Dawn made it up every flight of stairs and stepped out onto the roof of the radio tower. Giving a loud sigh of relief, she leaned against the doorway to catch her breath. Ash went straight to the railing at the edge of the roof and peered over the edge. He glanced back at her and motioned for her to come over to him.

Approaching Ash, Dawn was greeted by a sight that she hadn't been expecting.

It was Vermilion City. The same city she had been raised in. Yet it was like she was seeing it for the first time. She had never seen it from way up here. Every part of the city was visible to her. The sprawling urban jungle that was midtown. The small cozy neighborhoods of the northern areas. The industrial district that occupied the western end of the city. The lively downtown area that hosted Vermilion City's nightlife…and to the east was the wealthy community that she lived in.

She had never realized that there was so much to this city.

Was it always this…big?

"What do you think?" Ash asked her, breaking the silence.

Dawn needed a few moments to respond. She had never taken the time to admire the metropolis she lived in.

"It's…incredible." Dawn responded. She couldn't believe how great Vermilion City looked from up here!

"You know, I grew up in Pallet Town. It's a small little town so I don't know if you've heard of it." Ash said, but Dawn nodded, recognizing the name. "My dad used to travel a lot, and he told me about Vermilion City. He said it was a place where you could make your dreams come true. I never really understood what he was talking about, not until I came here myself. The city just kind of…glitters, doesn't it?"

Dawn looked out at the scenery in front of her again, and under the setting sun, she could agree with Ash. It really did seem like there was something magical here that could make your dreams come true, though Dawn quickly realized that it was the opportunities within this city.

"It makes it feel like anything is possible." Ash went on, and Dawn hummed in agreement.

Anything is possible…

Recalling all of the avenues this city had to start a career, Dawn could understand why anyone would believe this statement. There were open jobs, higher education…everything you would need to take a crack at making a living.

"Anything is possible!" Ash screamed suddenly, causing Dawn to cringe visibly. Noticing this, Ash chuckled while scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, did I surprise you, Dawn?"

"Yeah, kinda." She replied, shooting him a narrow glance. "Why'd you do that?"

"Just a reminder," Ash replied softly now, leaning on the railing. "Sometimes it's easy to forget about what you're working toward. So it helps to say it out loud, that I can achieve anything. That I _can_ make a difference."

Dawn remained quiet, once again impressed with Ash, yet she was surprised with what he had revealed. She had always been picturing him as a guy that would never lose his confidence. It always seemed like nothing could shake his focus. However, Ash made it clear to her that no one could enjoy such a luxury, not even someone as determined as him.

"Come on Dawn, it's your turn now." Ash stated, causing her to blink a few times.

"To do what?" She asked him plainly. He pointed upward.

"To scream something."

" _Absolutely not_!" Dawn retorted with a huff, but seeing Ash frown made her take a moment to consider it. "What for?"

"To remind you of your own dreams. I mean, what's the point in having dreams if they're not motivating you?" Ash asked her, and Dawn could understand his logic. "So come on, just give yourself a quick reminder of what you're going to do, or be or whatever."

"Can't I just, make a poster and put it on the wall in my room?" Dawn asked him, hoping for a way to avoid this request from Ash.

"You can do that too, but it's not like I can come to your room to see for myself. Plus I don't want you to go home and forget either." Ash pointed out, causing Dawn to roll her eyes. He refused to let her escape from this. "So go ahead Dawn, I'm waiting."

"Ugh, this is so embarrassing Ash." Dawn muttered as she looked over the banister. There were people down below that might hear her.

"What's so embarrassing about it?" Ash inquired, causing Dawn to make a face at him. "It's not like anyone can see you up here. If they hear you shouting, they won't know who it was."

"Just for this Ash, you owe me double of whatever it was you were going to give me." Dawn said to him before she took a deep breath. Upon exhaling, she looked up at the sky above and opened her mouth to speak. "I want to…travel to Kalos and become a fashion designer!"

Dawn exhaled again, surprised that she had actually followed through with this. Returning her gaze to Ash, she found that he was smiling at her.

"So you want to go all the way to Kalos? That's a long way from home." He noted, but Dawn smiled at this.

"Yeah, but Kalos is also the fashion capital of the world. If I can make it there as a designer, I can make it anywhere." Dawn said proudly.

"And with the way you work, I'm sure you'll be there in no time marching around in some fancy heels." Ash said to her with a smirk. Dawn laughed, thanking him graciously for the compliment.

* * *

The sky was darkening as the sun sunk into the horizon, but Ash and Dawn were now arriving at her home. Arriving at the gate to her property, Dawn used the intercom to call Darach to open the gate for her. The afternoon she spent with Ash might not have been what she was expecting, but Ash did an amazing job of keeping them entertained.

Now their time together was coming to an end as they approached the front door of Dawn's household. Stepping up to the large wooden doors, Dawn stopped and turned to face Ash who had been walking alongside her.

"So this is it huh?" Ash asked her as they looked toward one another.

"I guess so." Dawn said as she recalled the events of the day.

It had started out at the block party in midtown which descended into chaos as the authorities had to close off the park. From there they returned to Ash's home to drop off his sisters before they made a trip across town on foot. From the various people Ash had introduced her to, to the sights he had shown her, Dawn was amazed by Ash yet again.

He was seventeen years old, just like her, yet it felt like she was spending time with someone beyond his years. Ash was always in control, showing her new things that she had never seen before, or helping her to see things from a different angle. Dawn still couldn't figure out what it was about him that made him so…charming.

"Aren't you forgetting something Ash?" Dawn asked him as she recalled the deal they had made within the radio tower. They had reached her home, and Ash had yet to fulfill his part of their agreement.

"Oh right," Ash said with a small chuckle. "I had a little something for you, unless you'd prefer a kiss."

Dawn turned bright red, staring at Ash with an expression of shock. Seeing her expression change so drastically, Ash realized he had made a mistake and put up his hands as an apology.

"That was just a little joke, sorry Dawn." He said, trying to laugh off his previous comment. This caused Dawn to turn away from him, hiding her face. "I didn't mean to embarrass you. I just kinda figured this is the point on a date where the guy goes in for a kiss and then they say goodbye."

Dawn stifled a laugh, shaking her head a bit. She wanted to palm her forehead for Ash's lack of discernment.

"Shoot, I hope I didn't ruin our date now." Ash said softly to himself, causing a small smirk to form on Dawn's face. Here was a chance for her to get back at him now.

"You thought this was a date?" She asked him, glancing over her shoulder.

"Well yeah…I mean, unless you didn't. If-if you don't want it to be a date though I-I'm cool with that too." Ash said quickly, beginning to ramble now. This caused Dawn to snicker now that it was Ash's turn to be flustered.

"I'll leave it up to you to decide what it was Ash." Dawn said as she turned to face him again, wearing a smile that allowed Ash to relax. "I'm still waiting for my gift though."

Ash gave her a nod before he took off his backpack to open it.

"It's nothing special, but I hope it's enough to gain your forgiveness." Ash explained as he pulled a plush doll out of his backpack. Dawn's eyes widened as she recognized it immediately. It was the same doll that the basketball vendor had at the block party, the one Ash didn't manage to win for her.

"Ash…when did you go back for this?" Dawn began as he placed the doll in her hands.

"It was back when Casey and I went to get cotton candy for Macy," Ash explained as Dawn looked down at the doll. "Both Casey and Macy had something to show for our little trip today and I didn't want you to feel left out."

Dawn couldn't believe that Ash had gone back to get this doll for her. That was so sweet of him!

"Thank you so much Ash!" She exclaimed.

"Hold on, I haven't even told you the best part. This doll is also based on a Pokemon." Ash revealed to her. Dawn's eyes widened at this piece of information. "I don't know much about this one, but it's a Pokemon called Piplup. From what I've heard, they're native to Sinnoh, so you won't find any in Kanto unfortunately."

"They're so adorable." Dawn noted. She definitely wanted to see real Piplup for herself. Maybe she would travel to Sinnoh one day and do just that.

Ash and Dawn stood in silence now, staring down at the doll in Dawn's arms. Gradually, their gazes rose until their eyes met. They stared at one another, examining the person that stood across from them. Ash began to raise one of his eyebrows repeatedly while keeping a straight face, and Dawn couldn't contain her laughter.

"Ash." She said after regaining her composure. "Let's do this again sometime."

"Is it going to be a date next time?" Ash asked her, sporting a small smirk.

"Hmm, I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait and see if there's a kiss next time." Dawn replied, returning his little smirk with one of her own. Ash opened his mouth to reply, but nothing clever came to mind. Dawn took this opportunity to leave while she was ahead, slipping into her home after giving Ash one last wave.

Unknown to the duo, an older gentleman had been watching their discussion from a window on the second floor. Darach, the butler of the Berlitz estate.

Watching Ash as he began to walk back down toward the gate, Darach nodded to himself. That was indeed Ash Ketchum. The resemblance he had to his father was uncanny.

"Now what are the odds of Dawn befriending Ash?" Darach asked himself.

It almost seemed too convenient.

* * *

With a sigh of relief, Dawn shut the door to her room and placed her back against it. Johanna had smothered her with questions about the events that had unfolded at the block party. Dawn had to assure her mother countless times that she had walked away from it perfectly fine, and that Ash had gone through the trouble of making sure she got home safely. Finally when her mother was satisfied, Dawn slipped away to her room where she could just let the day melt away.

Flopping down onto her bed, Dawn snuggled up with her Piplup doll and shut her eyes. Taking in a few deep and slow breaths, Dawn felt at ease as she sunk down into her mattress.

" _I mean, what's the point in having dreams if they're not motivating you?" Ash asked her. "…just give yourself a quick reminder of what you're going to do, or be or whatever."_

Hearing Ash's words ring out in her head, Dawn's eyes snapped open. As much as she wanted to relax, Dawn knew what she had to do right now.

Retrieving her laptop from the nightstand beside her bed, Dawn opened up the device and powered it up. As the device came to life, Dawn looked up in thought of her response to Ash's suggestion.

" _I want to…travel to Kalos and become a fashion designer!"_

Kalos had been Dawn's dream since she was small. It was much like Vermilion City, but the qualities that Dawn adored about Vermilion City such as the cafes, window shopping, celebrity sightings…all of those could be found _throughout_ Kalos. The entire region was one big adventure with opportunities to learn from the people that had already etched their careers in stone. She could go anywhere in Kalos, and there was no telling what she would find. Dawn couldn't say the same for Kanto.

Seeing that her laptop had booted up, Dawn opened up a new window on the internet. Going through the search engine, Dawn pulled up various images until she spotted one that fit was she was looking for. Enlarging this image, Dawn gave it a nod of approval.

It was a satellite image of the Kalos Region, with a few famous landmarks such as the Prism Tower in Lumiose City and the Sundial in Anistar City. Standing at the center of image thought was a young red-haired woman in an extravagant dress. She was a world-renowned performer that was adored by millions of people - Aria.

She was the biggest sensation in Kalos, being a talented singer and dancer, she had recently been named the Queen of Kalos. With her obvious ability to perform, she would likely retain that title for years to come.

"One day, I'm going to make something that you wear on stage." Dawn stated as she stared at Aria on the poster. Recalling something that she had seen May do on various occasions. Dawn looked to the empty wall above her bed and made a frame with her index fingers and thumbs. Shutting one eye, she shifted her hands around to plan exactly where she would put this poster once she had ordered it.

Nodding to herself once she was satisfied with the location, Dawn couldn't help but smile eagerly.

Every time she spoke to Ash, he would find a way to motivate her. This time was no exception.

There was a fire in her heart now.

* * *

 **A/N**

Wow, it has been ten chapters and I'm happy to say that we still have a VERY long way to go on Ash's journey. Its been a pleasure to write and post this story so far, working alongside MjrGenMatt.

The inspiration behind this chapter, or the latter half of it really, was 'A Long Walk' sung by miss Jill Scott. I don't know if any of you who read this story are fans of R&B, but this has been one of my favorite songs for years.

I want to give everyone a heads up in advance. There won't be an update until the end of May/Early June. I want to take some time to really just focus on moving the plot along where I'm currently at, and then refine a fair number of chapters so that I have a bunch ready for you all. I know that doesn't bode well for you if you're following this story but please bear with me. If anything, I hope I can win your forgiveness once you start to read the new chapters :)

So it may be a while before I see you all again, but I hope this doesn't steer away from the story because I've got some big plans for the upcoming chapters.

I said I would get another chapter out in March and I did...barely lol. So I hope you enjoyed this one!

A big thanks to everyone for reading as well as those who reviewed, and of course I have to give a shout out to my beta reader MjrGenMatt! So until next time everyone, stay out of trouble, don't do anything I wouldn't do, and embrace spring because it's finally here!


	11. Genius?

**Chapter 11**

* * *

 **Tuesday, October 11** **th**

Brock drummed his fingers on his steering wheel to the beat of the music that was blasting through his radio. Bobbing his head as the beat became more defined, Brock failed to notice that none other than Ash Ketchum had approached the passenger side of his car. Knocking on the glass to get Brock's attention, he unlocked the doors for Ash to join him inside.

"Hey Brock, thanks for coming." Ash said as he got comfortable in his seat, setting his backpack on the floor while he put his seat belt on.

"You surprised me last night, calling all of a sudden." Brock noted, remembering the phone call he had received. Thankfully the situation was much better than the last time Ash had called him late at night.

"After we saw that battle N had this weekend, Pikachu and I just wanted to get stronger. So we want to start doing some extra training outside of the city." Ash explained.

"I heard about that battle and how nutty the ending was." Brock stated as he pulled out of his parking spot and joined the light traffic in this part of town.

"Man, I've never seen anything like that. N's Zoroark used this move called Focus Blast, and Laura tried to counter it by having her Rapidash use Flare Blitz. When they met it was just -" Ash clapped his hands together and threw them up to mimic the effect of an explosion.

"Now you're making me wish I was there to see that one." Brock said to him.

"Definitely one of the best I've seen." Ash added, rubbing it in.

"Whatever." Brock said making a face while keeping his eyes on the road. Ash snickered in response before he leaned over to open his backpack, allowing Pikachu to climb out of it. It then ascended Ash's body to perch itself on his shoulder, but he quickly snatched it and placed it down on his lap.

"Sorry Pikachu, you gotta stay down here until we leave the city. It's just for a few more minutes, alright?" Ash said to his partner who obliged, choosing to get comfortable on his lap.

"So Ash, whatever happened to that girl you brought to the subway station?" Brock asked curiously, stealing a glance at Ash. The young man remained silent though as he stroked Pikachu's back, sorting through his thoughts.

"She's alright." He mumbled in response.

"What's the deal with her? Do you like her or what?" Brock asked him pointedly. Brock and Ash were always blunt with each other.

"Eh...I mean, I she's cool and all..." Ash trailed off, returning to his silence.

"...It sounds like there should be a 'but' at the end of that." Brock noted after a few moments.

"I really don't know. Dawn is really nice, and I've spent a lot of time with her...but the night I saw Serena again at the subway station..." Ash trailed off again as he removed his hand from Pikachu, causing it to glance up at him curiously. Nudging Ash's stomach with its tail in an effort to get his attention, Pikachu sighed upon realizing its trainer had already been consumed by his thoughts.

Going back to that night, Ash recalled the few minutes he got to spend dancing with Serena for the first time in months. That was something he had all but forgotten during the time he spent away from the group. Yet, as soon as he took a hold of Serena's hands, she delivered a shock to his system, bringing all of the steps right back to him. His hands tingled from Serena's touch, and when they finished, the brunette smiled at him.

His heart stopped upon seeing that smile again. Shaking his head a bit, Ash realized that Serena could still tug at his heart even though they had broken up so long ago now.

"So you've still got a thing for Serena huh?" Brock asked him curiously. The question though seemed to bring up more memories rather than a response from Ash.

Ash met Serena when he was sixteen, almost two years ago. Brock had been the one to introduce them to each other, although it was under false pretenses. Serena became Ash's dance instructor, and the two of them immediately hit it off. At the time Serena had been studying the tango and salsa, and Ash became her partner. They spent weekends together practicing, and during this time Serena proved to be unlike any girl Ash had met.

Cassidy was his guardian, but Ash struggled to view her as anything more than that. Ash had known his mother very well before they were separated. He knew that Cassidy had his best interests at heart, but it was hard to view her in the same light as his late mother.

Casey and Macy were his little sisters, both of which he had grown to adore. He could remember the first time he had met both of them. Casey was only three at the time, and it took ages before she warmed up to him. In fact, the moment he and Casey finally connected was at an ice cream truck during the summer. Cassidy had gotten them both a chocolate and vanilla swirl, but Casey hated vanilla ice cream. So he let her have the chocolate half of his cone while he ate her the vanilla portion of hers. This became a little arrangement that they would have whenever they got ice cream.

The night Cassidy came home with Macy was a night Ash would never forget. He was only fourteen at that point, and Macy was but a small infant at two months old. Cassidy took the time to place Macy in his arms, carefully instructing Ash on the proper way to hold her. Macy looked up at him with her big bright eyes, smiled at him, and Ash's heart melted.

Yet Serena had managed to carve out her own special place in his heart. Serena was three years older than him and having graduated from high school, she was exposed to the world as a budding young adult. What she learned she shared freely with Ash. Every moment he spent with Serena, she was showing him something new, something cool. A different view point, or just sharing a thought with him. Serena soon joined a very small group of people whom Ash trusted wholeheartedly...and before he knew it, he began to look at her in a different light.

He began to pay closer attention to her, and everything she did. He began to admire her qualities and her quirks often reminded him of some of his own. Ash didn't want to admit it but...

"Yeah, she's still got a place in my heart." Ash said with a sigh.

"Huh?" Brock said, reaching out to lower the volume of the radio. "What did you say?"

"I was answering your question." Ash replied as he glanced out the window. It was then he noticed that the man-made buildings of Vermilion City were long gone, and instead they were surrounded by the sprawling forest of Route 6. "When did we get out here?"

"Ash it's been like twenty minutes since you said something. Geez, were you daydreaming about Serena that _entire_ time?" Brock asked him with a snicker. Ash's cheeks reddened slightly as he realized that he had indeed spent the last several minutes letting Serena dominate his thoughts. "Well we're almost there."

"Uh...great." Ash said as he focused on the purpose of their little trip this afternoon.

There were two ways to train Pokemon in Vermilion City. All over the city there were several locations where trainers could meet to host battles and test their skills. These locations varied depending on the time of day to keep the authorities guessing.

The other option was what Ash intended to use today. That involved going outside of the city, to train against the wild Pokemon that lived out there.

Ash was surprised by this the first time he heard about this through Brock. He had assumed that Pokemon had learned to battle through humans, but lo and behold, wild Pokemon with not even an ounce of human contact understood how to participate in a Pokemon battle.

Almost as if...they had been battling long before humans had encountered them.

"Here we are." Brock said as he turned off the main roadway they had been using. There was a small parking lot with a single car in it. As Brock parked his car, Ash and Pikachu looked out the window to marvel at the tall trees that loomed over them. It was deathly quiet, unlike the hustle and bustle of Vermilion City.

"Come on Pikachu." Ash said as he opened the door.

Brock couldn't help but smile as he got out of the car and watched them. As soon as their feet touched the ground, they began to stretch, almost mirroring each other's actions. He found it amusing. A human and a Pokemon that were practically in sync.

"Are you guys ready?" Brock asked them after locking up his car. The duo gave him an earnest nod, and Brock then motioned for them to follow him as he approached a dirt pathway leading further into the forest. The trio walked together in silence at first, Ash grasping the straps of his backpack with Pikachu on his shoulder. He struggled to suppress a smile as he glanced around at his surroundings. There was something about this that just felt...right.

Ash couldn't explain his excitement. The touch of mystery, the possibility that they could encounter a Pokemon at any given moment, or perhaps even a trainer lurking around in search of a new opponent. It was like he was on an adventure!

The silence didn't last as Ash's curiosity got the better of him.

"There are supposed to be trainers out here, right Brock?" Ash asked eagerly. According to Brock, the outskirts of Vermilion City was a practice ground for trainers, where they could battle without an audience. Some trainers preferred this, free of the pressure and scrutiny that came with battling in front of other people.

"Yeah Ash, just a little bit farther." Brock assured him. "Though there's someone in particular that I want you to see."

Right on cue a thud echoed through the area, causing Brock to glance upward. Pikachu's ears twitched at the sound before it jumped off of Ash's shoulder, diving into the bushes in search of the cause of the sound.

"Pikachu's ahead of the game, this way Ash!" Brock called out as he rushed off to pursue Pikachu.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Ash replied as they all abandoned the pathway they had using, racing through the foliage to keep up with Pikachu.

Brock had gotten a head start on Ash, but within a few moments Ash was already in front of him, sprinting as fast as he could. He wore a large grin as he ran alongside Pikachu, clear excitement on his face as they raced toward the unknown.

Soon enough Ash and Pikachu arrived at the edge of a small clearing where a battle was taking place. They remained silent, careful not to disturb the trainer as the battle progressed.

The trainer was a young woman, probably in her mid-twenties with long silky hair. She was dressed lightly since it was hot year round in Vermilion City, and even in the late afternoon it was still hotter than most people would appreciate. Standing in front of her was a Pokemon with brown fur, wielding a lengthy bone. Ash raised an eyebrow at this observation, having never seen this Pokemon before or a Pokemon that used an object to attack with for that matter.

"What Pokemon is that Brock?" Ash asked softly as he looked back, but he discovered that his friend hadn't even made it to the clearing yet. With a snort Ash returned his attention to the battle, looking toward the wild Pokemon that the young woman was battling.

This Pokemon he recognized. It was a white furred primate, best known for its incredibly short temper – a Mankey.

The bone wielding Pokemon under the lady's ownership twitched, staring across the field at Mankey. It was clearly anxious for the battle to recommence, but its trainer called for it to remain still.

"Just wait Cubone, let Mankey attack first and we'll work off of that." She stated, not too loudly to ensure that their plans weren't overheard by Mankey.

'So it's a Cubone.' Ash noted mentally. Giving Cubone a hard stare, he attached the name to this Pokemon hoping that he would remember it the next time he encountered one.

Cubone exhaled softly, exercising its patience as its trainer had requested. Their plan had been to to wait for Mankey's impatience to get the better of it, but Mankey continued to stare down its opponent, its arms raised as it bounced on its toes. Clearly this Mankey had been through its fair share of battles, and had learned that being overly aggressive would only get you so far.

"Well that's Giselle for you." Brock stated, gaining Ash's attention. Turning to his friend, Ash was ready to see if Brock would share any information regarding this 'Giselle' and her skills as a trainer. Ash deadpanned at the sight of Brock's rosy cheeks and goofy grin as he stared at Giselle, admiring her shapely figure. His voice was higher pitched as he spoke again. "She's just as gorgeous as the last time I saw her."

"Get a grip Brock." Ash muttered, but to no avail. There was no stopping Brock one he got like this, at least until his 'target' shut him down.

Putting the distractions aside, Ash looked back to the battle field but was disappointed to see that nothing had taken place since Brock's arrival. It was nothing more than a waiting game at the moment.

"Sheesh, I wish she'd attack already. Mankey isn't going to." Ash muttered, causing Brock to clear his throat. His rosy cheeks had faded and he donned a straight expression.

"Right, you've never seen Giselle battle before." Brock said, causing Ash to shake his head as confirmation. "It's obvious that you're getting impatient with her. That's everyone's biggest mistake when they battle her."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked with a frown.

"I wouldn't really call it a trap. But Giselle excels at dissecting her opponents. I mean like, she's scary good at it. It's probably her woman's intuition." Brock suggested with a small laugh. Seeing that Ash was taking this information to heart though, he waved off his comment and continued. "She can figure out someone's game plan with a snap of her fingers."

"How does she do that?"

"She lets her opponents attack first to try and get a grasp of what they're thinking." Brock explained, motioning to the example right in front of them.

"So all she does is play defense. That won't work against me and Pikachu." Ash declared rather loudly. This caught Giselle's attention as she glanced back at them. Realizing she had an audience now, Giselle clicked her tongue before returning her focus to Mankey.

"Alright Cubone, that's enough waiting." Giselle stated, and her Pokemon seemed to sigh with relief. Lowering itself a bit, Cubone then sprung forward and Mankey reacted instantly. The brawler Pokemon rushed forward as well with a squeal, charging at Cubone to meet it at the center of the clearing.

Cubone had a different plan in mind as it stomped both of its feet to come skidding to a halt. Mankey, who had been sprinting at Cubone, found itself unprepared to respond to Cubone who had stopped, swinging out at Mankey's legs with its bone. With a shout Mankey had its feet ripped right out from underneath it, and it hit the ground face first.

"Now follow up with Sand Attack!" Giselle called out calmly. As Mankey pushed itself up from the ground, it met with a face full of dirt, several chunks hitting it directly in its eyes. Mankey gave an agitated squeal as began to furiously rub its eyes, hopping around on its feet. "Now give it a good whack!"

Cubone tightened its grip on its bone and lashed out at Mankey with all of the force it could muster. Mankey was sent flying clean across the clearing, causing Ash and Brock to raise their eyebrows at its impressive strength. Mankey crashed into a tree trunk on the opposite of the clearing and fell to the ground in a heap.

"Cu-bone!" It declared, raising its bone above its head in a victory pose. Giselle however, didn't approve of this as she called for Cubone to focus. Mankey wasn't done with this match as it forced itself back up to its feet, using one hand to finish wiping away the dirt from its eyes. From what everyone could see, Mankey was seething as its fur turned red, which was exactly what Giselle had been aiming for.

"Get ready Cubone, this is where we'll finish Mankey off." Giselle stated as Mankey gave a loud shriek. It went down on all fours, charging at Cubone even faster than it had been on its hind legs. In its blind rage, Mankey was even easier to avoid. Dodging each charge with simple sidesteps, Cubone watched as the angry Pokemon circled around the clearing before charging in once again. "Whenever you're ready Cubone, Bonemerang!"

As Mankey screamed and dashed Cubone yet again, Cubone lowered its center of gravity and held its bone in just one hand. It then hurled its weapon at Mankey, putting a ferocious spin on it that caused it to sail across the grass like a spinning disk. Mankey, jumped right over the attack and continued on its path toward Cubone. As it neared Cubone, Mankey jumped and cocked both of its arms back to throw down a dual chop at Cubone with all of its weight backing this attack.

In response Cubone raised its now empty hands to catch both of Mankey's wrists, and audible clap ringing out from the impact.

"Whoa." Ash exclaimed at the sight. Mankey's were notorious for two things. Their temper, and their strength. An angry Mankey was the best of both worlds, yet Giselle's Cubone stood against its physical strength without being pushed back. Mankey's eyes widened as its feet touched the ground, being forced to acknowledge Cubone's power. Without warning, Mankey was then struck from behind.

Cubone's Bonemerang attack had come right back to it to strike the back of Mankey's body, causing its remaining strength to disappear. With ease Cubone hoisted Mankey into the air above it, and threw its opponent to the ground where Mankey remained motionless.

"Very nice Cubone." Giselle said with a clap as she approached her Pokemon. Besting an angry Mankey was no small feat, especially since they had gone out of their way to anger the Pokemon.

Brock took a moment to glance at Ash now that the battle was over, and he had to contain his urge to chuckle outright at Ash who was staring at Giselle and Cubone with his mouth hanging open.

Ash was beyond impressed with them. Giselle and Cubone made quick work of this Mankey, using its own temper against it. Even though Mankey's strength increased tenfold when enraged, its forethought was all but lost. It could only think in the here and now in such a state, and Giselle used that to her advantage.

"So do you still want to battle her Ash?" Brock asked him, and Ash put on a big smile.

"Heck yeah I do!" Ash shouted as he ran out into the clearing with Pikachu. Giselle now turned to face Ash, giving him a narrow stare in response to his sudden outburst.

* * *

"Argh, damn it! We'll be back for you tomorrow!" Ash barked at Giselle. Returning his focus to Pikachu, he gingerly scooped his partner up from the ground. Pikachu was in poor condition, having taken quite a beating from Giselle's Cubone. They had gone in expecting a challenge, but batting Giselle was completely different from watching, especially since they were on the receiving end of that beat down.

Giselle only watched as Ash left the clearing, muttering a new strategy he would likely be trying the next time they met. If he kept his word, that would be tomorrow. She smirked at bit at the prospect of him returning. It wasn't often that she had a consistent opponent.

Giselle had met her fair share of trainers battling on the outskirts of Vermilion City. She had been battling out here for almost two years, and all sorts of trainers came out here to use this area as a practice ground. However, she ruled this area. The Kings fought over the city, but this queen controlled the surrounding land.

With a sigh, Ash dropped himself into the passenger seat of Brock's car, using this opportunity to dig through his backpack for a Potion. He was fortunate that the Red Skulls had given him so many of them. With all of the training he intended to do, Pikachu would need these to accelerate its recovery from any lingering damage.

"Man, she's really good!" Ash exclaimed as he looked down at Pikachu in his lap, spraying his partner twice with the Potion. Its fur glistened as the liquid rested on it for a moment, then sunk further in causing Pikachu to relax.

"Yeah, she's no pushover Ash." Brock said to him now that he was seated in the driver's seat.

"So what's she ranked?" Ash asked curiously. It seemed strange that he had never heard of Giselle before. She was no joke.

"She's not ranked. She's not even in the circuit." Brock replied simply as he started the car engine. Ash stared at him with a stupefied expression.

"What do you mean she's not ranked? She's really stinkin' good! She could give any of the circuit trainers a run for their money." Ash replied, and this caused Brock to shrug his shoulders. He focused on driving, shifting the car into reverse to back out of his parking spot and with that, they began their trip back into the city.

"She has her reasons for not taking part in the circuit. But believe me, all of the good trainers in Vermilion City know about Giselle." Brock explained to him. "After battling her, how would you rate her next to N?"

"Uhh...she's good and all, but we still got in a few hits against her and Cubone." Ash explained. "With N, I can't even imagine us scoring a good hit yet. He would flat out destroy us."

"There you go. A lot of people, myself included, rate Giselle as a one of the top trainers in the city. But even among the best trainers, they're divided up into tiers. You've got the five Kings at the tip top. Those guys are all by themselves. Then on the next tier down you have their closest subordinates, the strongest trainers that each of their Kingdoms have to offer." Brock explained, earning a nod from Ash. He thought of Laura, the woman that was also a member of the White Lotus who had gone toe to toe with N in the exhibition match he had watched. Ash knew for certain that he wasn't on her level yet. "And then the next tier is where I'd put Giselle in my ranking."

"Hmm, so how does that compare to a trainer I've seen?" Ash asked curiously.

"Ummm...do you remember the night at the subway station when you saw N battle that guy named Sidney." Brock reminded him. Ash thought back to the night again, remembering the red haired trainer that N wiped the floor with.

This caused Ash to frown as he went from one comparison to another in an attempt to figure out his own place among the trainers of Vermilion City. N stomped Sidney. Giselle was just as good as Sidney. Ash couldn't even beat Giselle yet, although he was willing to argue that their battle was pretty even.

"You could call Giselle a gatekeeper." Brock noted. "If you can't get past her, you don't stand a chance against the top trainers."

"Dang, so we still have a lot of work to do Pikachu." Ash stated as he looked down at his partner Pokemon.

Brock began to share some of his insight with Ash regarding the strongest trainers in Vermilion City.

The Five Kings.

Of those five trainers, Ash had only ever seen N in battle. The other four were but a mystery to him.

Unfortunately, as far as Brock knew, only two of the Kings had ever faced each other in battle, publicly at least. So there was no definite answer as to which of them was the strongest. According to those who had battled the five Kings, each of them commented that N was the toughest. It didn't take long for this opinion to spread, and N was placed on a pedestal above the rest of the Kings.

Ash felt a chill at the thought as he realized yet another tier had been added. If N really was stronger than the rest of the Kings, then defeating that young man was going to be a far greater challenge than he thought.

In the face of this daunting challenge, Ash's heart was set ablaze.

This was a challenge he was going to surmount!

Brock hid his smirk at the sight of Ash's expression. He could tell there was a burning ambition within Ash now, and this was the beginning of what was going to be a grand adventure.

* * *

 **Thursday, October 13th**

Nando breathed a sigh of relief as he placed his hands on his lap, looking up at the man who stood over him.

The grown man pulled at his pointed mustache softly, his eyes shut as he hummed the tune Nando had just finished playing on the grand piano in front of them. Once he reached the end of the tune, he stood in silence which caused Nando to gulp nervously, waiting for the critique to begin. This was the song he intended to play at the upcoming recital, and he was anxious to hear another opinion about it.

"Nando that was...magnificent!" He exclaimed as he began to clap his hands.

"Thank you Mr. Juan." Nando said graciously, bowing a bit to his instructor.

Juan was one of the music teachers at North Vermilion High. He was previously a musician, having captured a number of awards while he played professionally, though that was many years ago. Now he spent his time teaching as a gentleman in his late fifties, bestowing his wisdom on the young impressionable minds that attended this school.

His star pupil, Nando, never failed to impress him, and yet again Nando had played a musical number for Juan that astounded him. From the moment Nando had set foot in his classroom three years ago as a freshman, Juan knew that this boy was talented. With the performance Nando had just put on, Juan had no doubt in his mind that he was a musical genius. This young man could play anything he touched, and his skill was unmatched among his peers. From the moment Nando graduated, Juan was certain that he would be traveling overseas, playing professionally.

"I must say though Nando, you work has been very passionate as of late, this piece especially." Juan noted, raising his a brow as he gave Nando a sly glance. "I remember I used to play with such passion when there was a woman on my mind."

Nando blushed at the statement, causing Juan to laugh heartily as he placed a hand on Nando's shoulder.

"There's no need to be embarrassed about it. If this young lady inspires you to create beautiful music, there's no shame in that." Juan said to him. "One of the hardest emotions to capture in music is love. Some of the best songs I had composed was when I had fallen in love with this one woman while I was in Hoenn. Ho~"

Juan cooed affectionately as he looked up, recalling that face of the woman he had seen while visiting Lilycove City almost thirty years ago.

"I followed her around town until I finally caught her. She had stopped in a park to take a break, so I took the opportunity to serenade her." Juan explained, raising his hands as if to play a guitar. "She loved every moment of it. I met her again, a few times actually, to play a few more songs for her. But alas, it was not meant to be."

"What happened?" Nando asked curiously. Surely if she loved Juan's music she must have given him a chance.

"She was married." Juan stated with a straight face. A nervous silence set in as Nando was left unsure of what to say, but then Juan burst out in a fit of laughter. "Don't worry about that my friend. She was just one of _many_ ladies that I met before I got married myself."

Nando chuckled softly. Even with all of the time Nando spent with Juan, the man's sense of humor still caught him off guard at times.

"But let me tell something to you. If you play your cards right, and you play this song for your special someone, I promise Nando...you will capture her heart." Juan said as he put out his arms, pretending to hold the waist of someone he was dancing with. Her performed a dip, and glanced back at Nando expectantly. "So, will she be attending your recital?"

Nando drew in a deep breath, recalling that he had indeed invited Dawn to come hear him play. Giving his instructor a nod, Juan smiled broadly at him, and straightened up to give Nando a pat on the back.

"Very good." Juan said as his expression returned to a neutral one. He then motioned for Nando to return his fingers to the piano keys. Together they would further refine Nando's work until it reached the pinnacle of perfection.

Hopefully through this song, Nando would be able to tell Dawn something that he struggled to say.

* * *

 **Thursday, October 20th**

"Pikachu, show em' your Agility!" Ash commanded as he swung his arm.

"Cubone, stay focused. You've seen them do this before." Giselle called out to her Pokemon as Pikachu burst forward, racing across the clearing they were battling in. With its increased speed, Pikachu was nothing but a blur as it raced around Cubone, searching for an opening to attack.

Under Giselle's orders, Cubone remained sill as it looked from one side to the other, trying to keep Pikachu in its field of vision. This was no small task, but by doing so Cubone was forcing Pikachu to hesitate. The electric Pokemon was clearly waiting for a moment where Cubone had lost sight of it, but Cubone was effectively covering all of its openings.

"Go for it Pikachu!" Ash hollered, realizing that Pikachu couldn't find an angle to attack from. The only thing they could do was force something to happen now. Ash knew that he was playing right into Giselle's hand by calling for an attack, but he was determined to beat her at her own game.

With a short nod, Pikachu stopped circling Cubone and dove in at its opponent. Closing the distance between them in an instant, Cubone had to raise its bone to meet Pikachu's initial attack, blocking a kick. Pikachu was far from finished though as it placed its other foot on Cubone's bone and bounded off of it. This simple motion put Pikachu back on its feet where it darted behind Cubone, this time lashing out with its tail. Cubone quickly spun its bone in its hand, using it to block Pikachu's follow up attack despite having its back turned to Pikachu.

Ash blinked at the exchange of attacks here froze momentarily. Then Pikachu resumed its assault, using its speed to attack Cubone from every angle it could. Even though Pikachu was attacking rapidly from all over the place, Cubone was reacting accordingly to each attack, impressing Ash with its outstanding reaction time.

"Alright Cubone, go for Pikachu's feet with Bone Club." Giselle ordered suddenly, deciding to break the stalemate. Cubone had only been defending itself up until this point, but now it lowered its bone to anticipate Pikachu's next attack.

"Pikachu!" Ash called out to his partner as it pounced at Cubone from its side. Ash's shout was a moment too late as Cubone leaned back into a handstand to avoid Pikachu's latest attack. Seeing Cubone in this position, Pikachu halted its steps in order to launch himself at Cubone while it was so close. Cubone however, was first to strike as it lashed out at Pikachu with its bone.

"Pika!" Pikachu gasped as its feet were ripped from beneath it.

"Finish it!" Giselle called out, seeing that this would be their chance to land a direct hit to Pikachu once it hit the ground. The scene slowed down again for Ash as Pikachu was displaced. This would have been a tremendous position for Cubone to take advantage of if Pikachu landed on its side, but seeing that his Pokemon was parallel to the ground, Ash saw something he could use.

"Use your tail!" Ash barked. Recalling that it had missed Ash's shout just moments ago, Pikachu was ready for this order and reacted immediately. Twisting its body, Pikachu extended its tail to the ground which brought its fall to an abrupt end. As Cubone went back onto its hind legs, it discovered that rather than finding Pikachu resting on its stomach, Pikachu was standing upright as well. "Now hit it!"

Cubone's eyes widen as Pikachu smirked at it. There was hardly any distance between them, denying Cubone an opportunity to react to a speedy attack from Pikachu.

"Cubone!" Giselle exclaimed as Pikachu thrusted itself into Cubone's body, launching its opponent across the clearing. Cubone crashed into a tree trunk before it collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"Alright, nice one Pikachu!" Ash shouted as Giselle rushed over to her Pokemon, kneeling down to examine Cubone herself. With a groan, Cubone began to struggle in an effort to return to its feet, but Giselle placed a hand on its back as a gesture to relax.

"That's enough Cubone, they got us." She said to her companion who sighed before slumping back down to the ground.

"You were awesome Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed as he rushed to his partner who was seated on its bottom. Rather than celebrate with Ash, Pikachu was looking down at its leg that had been hit by Cubone's Bone Club which had become swollen already. "Hey Brock, can you toss me a Potion?"

Brock gave him a nod before retrieving the item Ash had requested. Giving it a soft toss, Brock watched as Ash caught it easily with one hand and returned his gaze to Pikachu. Uncapping the nozzle, Ash sprayed Pikachu's leg twice, much to the relief of his partner.

"Chaaa~" Pikachu sighed before Ash scooped it up, holding Pikachu in a pocket he created with his arm as he now approached Giselle. Extending the Potion to her now, Giselle looked up at him, surprise evident in her expression. She then accepted the spray bottle and began to treat Cubone tenderly.

"I was surprised." Giselle admitted suddenly as she watched Cubone sit up. Ash and Pikachu perked up a bit at this, waiting for her to continue. "I thought yesterday was a fluke, so I have to apologize for...the way I acted."

It had been nine days since the two of them had first met. In those nine days, they battled each other a total of seven times.

At first, Giselle had thought that Ash would be no different from some of the other trainers from Vermilion City. Many of them came out to this place thinking that this was a place to flaunt their strength and bully the wild Pokemon. Giselle always made it a point to address their arrogance, beating many of them handily. She went out of her way to tell them that a real trainer would respect any opponent they face, because even the wild Pokemon can teach you something that could be put into practice. There were many trainers that didn't take too kindly to her comments, and most of them she never saw again.

Ash...was different. She could see that he was just brimming with admiration for her and Cubone as they battled. He was trying to learn from them, and he did so rapidly. With each defeat Giselle handed him, Ash seemed to be improving through the course of the battle. Then when their sixth battle took place the day before, Giselle was stunned as Ash and Pikachu snagged a victory. Their battle had gone down to the wire, and these high pressure moments where one decisive hit could end the battle were the moments Giselle especially prepared for. Ash, however, came alive during that portion of the battle. Ash and Pikachu caught Cubone off guard, and finished it off although Pikachu looked significantly worse for wear. In response, Giselle stamped her feet, cursed audibly, told Ash he got lucky and stalked off.

Now that she had been beaten a second time, the very next day no less, Giselle knew that his first victory wasn't some fluke. Once again he had managed to counter her counter when it mattered.

Ash began to scratch the back of his neck, chuckling a bit.

"You don't need to apologize, it's not like my attitude was any better." Ash confessed. He had been quite loud after some of his close losses to Giselle, though he wasn't quite as...vulgar.

"If you don't mind me asking, what was going through your head as we battled?" Giselle asked him.

Ash was a very strange opponent. It almost felt as though she was battling someone different each day during their first five encounters. He had used all sorts of different tactics, all of which Giselle managed to see through and claim victory. During the battle of his first victory, and their closest match, Ash was significantly harder to figure out.

It was as if he was battling _without_ a solid plan. He was just acting and reacting...and it was working.

Even when Giselle countered his attack, he responded with a counter. He had beaten her twice battling this way.

"What was going through my head?" Ash repeated as he looked up in though, then he snorted softly. "To be honest, nothing was really going through my head. I was trying to keep my thoughts out of the way and just focus on what was happening. I knew if I stayed focused and reacted quickly, I could trust Pikachu to get the job done."

"Pika!" Pikachu added, giving a small salute.

Giselle gave him a narrow stare. She had battled a trainer that described battling like this to her.

The King of the White Lotus. N.

"How old are you?" She inquired now.

"I'll be eighteen in...next month actually." Ash answered, causing Giselle's eyes to widen a bit. He was so young to be a trainer!

This explained his inconsistencies during their first few battles. He was probably attempting things he had seen in various battles against her, having little success until he chose to rely on himself and his Pokemon.

A sense of dread filled Giselle momentarily. This situation was eerily similar to her first and only battle with N two years ago. What followed was one of the most one sided battles Giselle had ever participated in. N was undoubtedly the strongest trainer she had ever faced at the time, and he went on to become one of the most powerful trainers in the city, even establishing his own Kingdom.

Standing before her was another trainer who was younger than N, and he was improving in leaps and bounds. It was possible that his improvement would eventually allow him to challenge...maybe even surpass N.

"What's your name?" She asked.

He grinned at her, his Pikachu doing the same.

"Ash Ketchum, and this is Pikachu."

* * *

It had been roughly a half an hour since the end of the battle between Pikachu and Cubone, but rather than leave like she had the day before, Giselle stayed back to watch Ash and Pikachu practice against a few wild Pokemon. She stood at the edge of the clearing, her arms folded in front of her chest and a stern expression on her face.

Watching him battle a few times, her thoughts from earlier were confirmed. Ash was wildly inconsistent as a trainer. She could see the creativity in his strategies, but he was clearly a novice. He and Pikachu had been batting at their best against her, but now against some wild Pokemon, their execution was poor.

"So what do you think of him?"

Giselle looked to her left, spotting Brock standing beside her now. She recognized him as the person who had accompanied Ash every time he had come to battle her.

"Who are you, his manager?" Giselle asked, earning a snort from Brock.

"Nah, more like uh...mentor." Brock replied. "I'm trying to show him the ropes."

"So you're the reason he keeps coming back?" Giselle asked him.

"Yeah, I've seen you battle before. I thought you'd be a good opponent for him to use as a measuring stick." Brock explained to her, and Giselle frowned at the comment. She didn't like the thought of them using her to estimate Ash's skill.

"Why me though? There's plenty of trainers in Vermilion City that he could battle." Giselle pointed out, and Brock sort of chuckled.

"The biggest reason...is probably because he doesn't have the money to afford losing to any trainers in the city. So a lot of them turned down a battle with him." Brock explained, and Giselle gave a small nod. Then she was reminded of Ash's statement earlier where he revealed he was only seventeen. She was willing to bet money that most of the trainers he had challenged were looking down on him because of his age.

No one wanted to battle a kid with no money.

"I know that you battle other trainers without betting money, so you kind of became his training partner." Brock went on. "If Ash hasn't told you already, you've been an incredible opponent for him. He's learning a whole lot from you."

"I can tell. With each battle we had, he was getting better and better." Giselle commented.

"That's his gift if you ask me." Brock said, and Giselle glanced at him questioningly. "He's a quick study. Kind of like you, but a little different."

"How so?"

"Well, it was like I was telling him the first time we watched you battle. You break down the strategy of your opponent, and respond accordingly. Ash will...kind of read into what you're doing, and look to throw a wrench in your plan." Brock explained for her, causing Giselle to raise her eyebrows at this piece of information. For Ash to find success battling like that, his battle sense must have been otherworldly.

"How many battles has he been in?" Giselle asked curiously. Surely Ash must have been in many battles to develop such a keen battle sense. Seeing Brock make a face further piqued her curiosity.

"Not that many. He doesn't train a lot either..." Brock said before adding. "Not that he doesn't want to train. He really does, but he's still in high school and he has a job. It's not that easy for him to find the time to train. And if he does make the time to train, maybe once in a blue moon he'll get to battle another trainer."

Giselle blinked, looking toward Brock skeptically now.

"I wouldn't believe it either if I was you." Brock stated with a chuckle. "But I'm telling the truth. He's come a long way with just a little bit."

"...It's not that I don't believe you, I just..." Giselle trailed off as she looked back to Ash in the clearing. "It's hard to imagine, but if he's everything you say he is...he could become the strongest trainer in Vermilion City."

"Hoo, that's bold." Brock noted with a smirk. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, this is just me, but I believe that there's two types of trainers that will succeed. You have the calculating type. The person who studies whatever they can to understand their Pokemon, their opponent, different strategies, everything they can get their hands on." Giselle explained passionately. "With all of this knowledge, they think ahead to counter their opponents and respond to any change in strategy."

"Sounds like you're describing yourself." Brock said through pursed lips. He quickly shut his mouth upon receiving a sharp stare from Giselle.

"And then you have the genius type." Giselle resumed her explanation. "They don't need to think, or plan. As the battle unfolds, they're just able to see things ahead of time, almost like they get a brief glimpse of the future. Then...just like you said, they'll throw a wrench in your plan."

Brock nodded approvingly. He liked the sound of someone calling Ash a genius.

"So you think he could become as strong as the five Kings?" Brock inquired now. This was the question he wanted to be answered above all else.

"If he figures it all out, I think he will succeed them."

* * *

 **Friday, October 21st**

Having taken a seat at her usual lunch table, May arched her back and extended her arms upwards to stretch out a bit. With a small grunt, she rolled her shoulders as Dawn sat down beside her with Nando across from them.

"You okay?" Dawn asked her curiously.

"It's weird. I feel stiff still like I didn't get a good night's sleep." May noted as she twisted her torso.

"Well I hope you get a full night of sleep before the recital Sunday." Nando pointed out to her. As he watched May's expression turn from confusion to shock, Nando quickly realized that she must have forgotten.

"That's _this_ Sunday?!" May exclaimed, causing Nando to snort. He had invited both of them to come see his performance, insisting that they mark it down on their calendars. Dawn took his advice to heart, but May promised that her memory would suffice. Clearly that wasn't the case...

Rolling his eyes a bit, Nando removed his backpack and placed it on his seat.

"I'll be right back." He said, heading back to the cafeteria to make a trip to the restroom. As he reached the entrance to the building he passed Ash who was just making his way out to join them. They two of them spared each other a small nod but said nothing.

"I can't believe I forgot." May muttered as she slapped her hands against her cheeks, giving a frustrated groan. Arriving at the table, Ash made a face at Dawn while he pointed to May in search of an explanation for what was taking place. Dawn giggled softly before filling him in.

"Nando has a piano recital this weekend, and May forgot." Dawn explained which got a chuckle out of Ash.

"Did you write it down anywhere, like on a calendar?" Ash asked her, and this caused May to flush red while Dawn stifled a laugh.

"What's with everyone and these stupid calendars?!" The brunette shrieked, throwing her hands up. Dawn laughed openly now, while Ash was a bit taken aback by her sudden outburst. Seeing Ash's surprise, May began to apologize to him profusely.

"So did you make plans or something May?" Dawn asked now.

"Yeah, Drew invited me to go downtown with him Sunday. There's no way I can say no to him right now." May explained, and Dawn immediately understood.

Drew and May had officially started dating last month. It wasn't something they announced publicly, not yet at least. May had only told her closest friends, and she wasn't sure who Drew had shared this with, not that it mattered to her. They spent ample time together after school and on the weekends, and May was having an incredible time with him. It was everything that she had hoped for.

"I'm going to feel so bad missing his recital now. And I wanted to see him play too." May related to Dawn as she leaned on the bluenette's shoulder.

"Don't worry May, I'm sure Nando will understand." Dawn said to her, receiving a nod from May.

"He already gave me a ticket though, it's such a waste now." May muttered before she looked up at Ash, a devilish grin forming on her face. "Hey Ash, why don't you go in my place?"

" _To what_?" He asked, his voice a bit muffled as he looked up from his lunch. Dawn held in a laugh at the sight of his distended cheeks as he chewed. In fact, Dawn had noticed that Ash had been eating a lot more lately, and his appetite was something else.

"The piano recital Nando is part of this Sunday." May repeated for him, realizing that he hadn't been listening to them from the moment he started eating.

"Really? He can play the piano too?" Ash asked now that he had swallowed everything, allowing him to speak clearly. The list of musical instruments Ash had seen Nando play was steadily grown since they had first met, and now he had another to add to that list.

"We keep telling you that Nando can play anything." May said with a proud smile. "So do you want to see a live performance from Nando? Because I can promise you that it'll be better than anything you've heard him play so far."

"Well you've got me interested now." Ash said, his brow raised at the prospect of hearing Nando play in front of an audience. He was certain that the precision and accuracy Nando played with in front of his friends would jump to a new level in front of a crowd.

"Great! You can have my ticket then." May said to him eagerly, and Dawn picked up on what May was doing. Setting her up with Ash once again. "Oh shoot, I left it at home. I can drop it off for Dawn tomorrow and she'll meet you there with it, how about that?"

"Uh, okay." Ash said, smiling a bit at how quickly May was trying to put this all together. "So where's the recital being held?"

"They're using the concert hall that belongs to the V-S-P-A." Dawn explained and Ash nodded, recognizing the acronym. The Vermilion City School for the Performing Arts. One of the many centers of education that filled the central part of the city. Ash had never set foot on a college campus for many reasons, but here was first opportunity to see one for himself. "It starts at three o'clock, but Nando said that we should get there an hour early if we want good seats."

"So two o'clock..." Ash noted as he took out his phone. Opening the calendar on his phone, he set a reminder for this event before glancing up at May. Turning his phone for her to see what he had done, Ash shot a smirk at her. "See May, that wasn't so hard."

"Ash you suck!" May proclaimed as he laughed.

Dawn remained quiet, impressed with herself. She was ready to jump for joy at the thought of another evening with Ash, something they hadn't done since the block party earlier this month. She had to be cool while she was in front of him, but now she couldn't wait for Sunday to arrive.

* * *

 **Sunday, October 23rd**

Nando was nervous to say the least, although there was certainly a lot more that could be said to describe how he currently felt.

Seated back stage in the concert hall of the VSPA, Nando was rocking back and forth in his seat slightly, trying to calm his nerves. His stomach was in knots, his head was pounding and no matter how many times he wiped his palms they were _still_ sweaty.

Nando wasn't always this nervous before he performed, but there was a lot riding on this performance for him. Several talent scouts had been invited to this recital, and it was an opportunity for him to impress them and get his name on their radar for future contracts one he graduated from high school. Above all that, there was a special someone in the audience, the person who had inspired this piece who would finally get to hear it. Nando wanted this to nothing short of perfect.

' _Being nervous is healthy Nando. It shows that you care about your performance and you want to do well.'_

Juan had shared these words with him, and it always helped to put Nando's mind at ease before he went on stage. This time however, it wasn't doing much for him. The mere thought of the slightest mistake terrified him. He didn't want to mess up, not in front of the audience...not in front of Dawn.

"Excuse me, is there a Nando back here?" One of the attendants called out at the entrance of the room. A few of the other participants began to murmur, looking toward the clock to see if the show was beginning already.

Nando took a deep breath, rising from his seat and raised his hand to get the attention of the attendants.

"That's me." He stated, approaching the man who stood in the doorway.

"There's a young lady here to see you." The attendant replied, motioning for Nando to come over. Nando's heart skipped a beat at the mention of a 'young lady.' Had Dawn come to check on him?

The attendant allowed him to step out into the corridor, and Nando had to fight off his urge to rejoice openly at the sight of Dawn who had been waiting for him. Upon spotting Nando, her expression brightened.

"Nando!" She exclaimed, waving to him. Nando however, was captivated by Dawn's appearance. Her semi-formal dress and jacket further personified the elegance and poise she always carried herself with. "Wow Nando, you look great and I've never seen you with your hair pulled back."

Dawn leaned over a bit, admiring Nando's clothes. He was dressed in a collared white shirt, black dress pants and a checkered bow tie. His long hair had been pulled into pony tail, save for his lengthy bangs that fell to one side of his face.

"Aw, thank you." Nando said, blinking a few time as he composed himself. "I'm glad you're here."

"You and me both. I can't wait to see you on stage." Dawn replied. "You don't mind if I record you playing, do you?"

"Not at all." Nando responded. "Did you find some good seats?"

"Yup, on the upper level if case you need a smiling face." Dawn said, placing a fingertip on her lips. Nando snorted at this. "So are you nervous or anything?"

She looked straight up at him, making eye contact for a few moments. This put Nando at ease as he smiled with confidence.

"No. I'm ready to blow everyone away." Nando stated, and Dawn returned his smile.

"Awesome, good luck out there." Dawn said as she raised a hand toward Nando. Giving her a high five, Dawn gave him a wave before she turned to walk down the corridor, heading back to the seating area. Nando watched her as she left, his eyes following the movement of her hips and her hair flowing.

'This performance is dedicated to you Dawn.' Nando said, enjoying the silence in his mind. This brief encounter with Dawn had relieved all of the tension he was experiencing. He had peace of mind now. Nando was certain that this would be his best performance yet.

* * *

 **A/N**

I'm back! I know that its been a while but just as I promised, I have a number of chapters to upload for everyone. I intend to post them just a few days apart from each other, so be on the look out for the next update in the near future. To those of you who waited patiently for these chapters, I can't thank you enough. The wait will be worth it, I promise you that!

A lot of time and work went into these chapters, and I'm really excited for you guys to see what direction this story is going in. My usual praise goes out to MjrGenMatt for his help with this chapter.

Another topic I haven't really gone into is how I intend to write battles. As I've said before, this is a work in progress for me. I know there's all sorts of ways to write them beyond the command/action formula that we know from the games and anime. I'll figure it out as I go but if you have any tips feel free to let me know.

I'll be seeing you guys real soon and I can't wait for you to read the next chapter!


	12. In Whom We Confide

**Chapter 12**

* * *

Ash looked around the audience for the tenth time since he had taken a seat. The place was absolutely packed, both the ground floor and the upper balcony, and it was becoming a struggle to hold onto the empty seat beside him for Dawn.

They met outside of the concert hall, and Ash quickly learned how under dressed he was for this recital. It wasn't a black tie event, but coming in jeans and a t-shirt certainly made Ash feel out of place. While Ash had claimed two seats on the upper balcony, Dawn had gone off to meet with Nando before the recital began. She hadn't been gone for long, but the number of people that had asked Ash about the empty seat was starting to get on his nerves.

The audience was in a buzz with people chatting about some of the young musicians. Ash had even heard a few people behind him mention Nando's name. He never would've imagined Nando being well known around the city, not with how reserved he was.

Glancing back at the entrance to the balcony, Ash was relieved at the sight of Dawn. Rising to his feet, Ash waved his arms to gain her attention since he was at the front of the seating area. She noticed him and quickly joined him.

"Wow, you got some good seats." She noted once they were seated.

"So when does Nando get on stage?" Ash asked her. Opening the pamphlet she had received on the way in, Dawn quickly scanned its contents before she found a schedule for the recital.

It would begin with the opening remarks from the gentleman that was sponsoring the event. Then after that they would be introducing the guest of honor. Dawn gasped upon seeing the name listed.

Palermo.

"What's the matter?" Ash asked curiously after hearing Dawn's gasp.

"You won't believe who the guest of honor is." Dawn exclaimed as she turned the pamphlet for him to read it himself. Making eye contact with Dawn, he stared at her blankly.

"Who's that?" He asked causing Dawn to stare at him incredulously.

"Are you kidding me Ash?" Dawn asked him, but he shook his head. "You've never heard of _the_ Palermo. The famous producer in Kalos. The woman who made Aria into the mega star she is today?!"

"Nope." Ash stated. He had never paid much attention to celebrities, but he did know the name Aria. So the person responsible for molding Aria into the incredible performer she is today was present in the building. Looking around the audience once again, Ash began to search for someone that stood out from the rest of the audience, someone whose stature was above those that surrounded them. "Do you see her?"

Dawn joined him in searching the audience, but neither of them could spot this woman. Ultimately, their search was cut short as the sponsor stepped out onto the stage with a microphone, calling for everyone's attention. The audience became quiet as the well-dressed man began to speak.

"Good afternoon everyone. I first like to start by thanking all of the young performers today who agreed to take part in this recital that I had put together. All of them have worked incredibly hard on the pieces you will be hearing today, so let's give them a big round of applause." He said, raising his hands a bit. Everyone followed and began to clap. "Now I'd like to thank all those in attendance. I imagine the majority of you are here to support those taking part in the recital. You support is appreciated and I sincerely hope that you are as amazed as I was after some of these performances."

He looked down to the front of the audience on the lower level, raising a hand to motion to that section of the crowd.

"And last but certainly not least, we have a special guest here today. An old friend of mine who happened to be in town, and a former performer, miss Palermo!" He exclaimed, and everyone's eyes were drawn to the woman seated in the front row. One of the spotlights from the balcony was pointed down at Palermo as she stood up for a moment, waving to the audience a bit as they clapped. "So now, without further ado, let's begin. Our first performance tonight is..."

* * *

Ash leaned back into his seat as the sixth performance ended, and the crowd burst into applause for the young woman. She rose up from the stool in front of the grand piano and bowed to the audience, her white gown sparkling under the spotlights. With a great smile she went off stage as the sponsor returned to announce the next performer. Ash missed the name that was called since he was taking his time to gather his thoughts.

Even though the musicians playing were considered amateurs, all of them were outstanding. Each performance was better than the last. As Ash listened to each song, the music would lift him out of his seat and take him to the faraway place that composer had envisioned while developing their songs. The musicians did a superb job of expressing themselves through song.

Feeling Dawn nudge his shoulder, Ash looked at her and she pointed down to the stage. Shifting his gaze to the stage now, Ash saw a familiar face in Nando. The tall young man was already seated behind the piano, stretching his fingers a bit as he prepared to begin playing.

On stage, Nando's gaze was fixated on the piano keys in front of him. He had blocked out the stage lights, the audience and the hundreds of pairs of eyes that were all focused on him. It was just him, and the piano. Raising his right hand, Nando used just this hand to begin, commanding the attention of the room with just a few simple notes. His tempo was just right, not too fast or too slow, allowing each note to resound through the room.

Ash leaned forward in his seat, anxiously awaiting the moment where Nando would whisk him away like the previous performances. Ash's eyes widened as Nando slapped his fingers down onto three of the lower notes and a pair of white wings sprouted from his back. Nando began to play rapidly now to set the tone, almost as if he was a painter with a vision that he was hastily trying to throw onto a canvas. Taking a breath, Ash quickly realized that Nando's composition was different from his peers. All of the prior places had shown Ash a place, but Nando's song didn't take him anywhere. Rather, it showed him a face.

The face of a beautiful girl. Her long eye lashes sparkled. Her almost royal blue eyes were bright and her cheeks rosy from a blush as she seemed to be laughing too hard. Then she took a moment to lift her hand, fixing a few strands of her hair that had fallen in front of her face. Her...blue hair.

With this detail, Ash immediately recognized the girl Nando was picturing.

It was Dawn.

She then took him by the hand and beckoned for him to follow as she led them. The scene around them began to take shape as Nando slowed his pace slightly. The speed and precision he had used to shape the image of Dawn as he played softly now, pressing gently on the piano keys. The setting became relaxed as everyone began to see pink flower petals gliding through the air around Dawn from a soft breeze. Her hair moved with the breeze as she led them to the summit of a hill.

Nando then began to move up, primarily using the high notes to change the scene once again. The surroundings around Dawn changed from that of a grassy hill to a sandy beach. The sky was dark and littered with stars as Dawn walked alongside him with pair of flip flops in her free hand. She glanced down at her feet as the sand continued to slip in between her toes. Motioning for her company to wait a moment, she sauntered down to the water, waiting for it to wash up onto her feet.

She laughed as her feet were submerged momentarily, saying how great this felt before calling for him to come join her. As he began to talk toward her, Nando's tone changed again, the melody becoming very distinct which caused the scenery to change with it. They were now placed in a large orchard, surrounded by low fruit bearing trees. Dawn was reaching for an apple, but it was just out of her reach. She smiled warmly as he reached out, snatching one of them off of the lowest branch and lowering it down for her to accept. She went onto her toes to place a small kiss on his cheek as thanks before going onto his side, interlocking arms with him.

Then Nando grew quiet, playing very softly like he had at the beginning of his song. The crowd hung onto every note as the surroundings around the couple changed one last time. Together they were walking down a city block that had just recently been cleared after a heavy snowfall. They were dressed to keep warm as they walked arm in arm, admiring the snow that was still pure white. Dawn exhaled, watching as a cloud formed in front of her. She giggled softly at the sight of her breath before noticing that her companion was staring at her. With a smirk, she gave him a wink before leaning on him as they continued walking.

Ash blinked several times as the imaged faded. Then he looked down at Nando on stage as he found the young man seated with his hands on his lap. He had finished playing, but it seemed as though the audience had yet to realize it. Glancing at Dawn who sat beside him, her gaze was still unfocused as if she was waiting for an ending to the vivid scenes Nando had shown them. Without much thought, Ash understood that Nando didn't want those scenes to end.

Gradually, people in the audience began to come back to reality and realized his performance was over. As a few people began to clap, everyone was awakened and soon the applause became thunderous. Nando rose from his seat and bowed graciously to the audience. Once he straightened up, he took a moment to scan the upper balcony in search of Dawn. It didn't take him long to find her, she was on her feet waving her arms wildly to aide his search. He stifled a laugh at the sight of her, but something else quickly caught his attention. The young man seated beside her.

It was Ash.

Nando felt his chest tighten momentarily, wondering why Ash was here with Dawn. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Nando them smiled at the audience once more before he left the stage.

Up in the stands, Dawn was astounded by Nando's execution on stage. She could see why he had so much confidence in this piece. It was easily the best song she had ever heard him play, and after hearing it she couldn't help but think back to the night Ash had taken her to the subway station to see his friends dance.

Their hard work and practice was evident in their performance, and the same held true for Nando.

She could tell that he poured out his heart and soul, not only when he was creating this masterpiece, but as he performed it as well. It was oozing with love which left her a little flushed, but impressed nonetheless. Dawn had come in with high expectations of Nando, and he had shattered them!

"Wasn't that great Ash?" Dawn asked him, looking to the raven haired guy beside her. Ash glanced at Dawn, and he blushed when they made eye contact before looking away from her.

"Yeah." He replied in a mumble.

"What's the matter?" Dawn asked him curiously, wondering why he had become so withdrawn now.

"I'm fine, don't worry." He stated, pointing down to the stage where the next musician was already on stage.

Breathing a sigh of relief as Dawn's focus shifted, Ash relaxed into his seat. Nando had...opened his eyes with that performance. Ash took pride in his attention to detail, but there were minute details about Dawn that Nando had pointed out to him in that song that not even Ash had really noticed. The way her eyelashes sparkled. The way she'd wink as she tried to tease someone. The way she...

Ash shook his head, casting these thoughts aside. He knew now that Nando held this girl in the highest regard. She must have been the inspiration behind the song and images, and Ash could only hope that Dawn had seen just how much Nando cherished her.

* * *

Ash and Dawn quickly walked through the corridors backstage, making their way to the room where the performers were located. Dawn expertly navigated them through the hallways so that they could meet Nando who had invited them to come backstage now that the recital was over.

Rounding a corner, the two of them spotted Nando standing beside the entrance to the stage. His bow tie had been undone along with his shirt collar, and he smiled cheerily upon spotting them.

"Nando, you were incredible!" Dawn exclaimed as she embraced him in a hug. "The best one yet."

"Thank you so much for coming Dawn. " Nando said, returning her embrace. Ash had to admit that Nando was very relaxed around Dawn considering how strongly he felt about her.

"What did you think Ash?" Dawn asked after she stepped back from Nando, looking toward him now. Ash caught a flash of a frown on Nando's expression, but it quickly disappeared as he too wanted to hear Ash's opinion. Ash couldn't think of anything worth sharing, so he opted to give the acceptable answer.

"...I really enjoyed it. I'm not the biggest fan of classical music, but man can you play." Ash stated, receiving a small but grateful bow from Nando.

"I told you that Ash. Nando never fails to impress." Dawn said knowingly as she glanced at Nando. In doing so, Dawn looked into doorway that led backstage and caught sight of none other than Palermo. The older woman was surrounded by a few of the performers, requesting autographs from her. "Oh no way, she's still here? I'll be right back Nando!"

Dawn poked her head through the doorway, checking for any security that might deny her entry. Seeing that it was clear, Dawn darted over to the crowd around Palermo. Ash and Nando stood at the entrance, watching as the bluenette anxiously waited for her opportunity to spend a few moments with Palermo.

"So Nando, do you mind if I asked you something?" Ash asked slowly, gaining the attention of the dark haired young man. Nando raised his eyebrow at this, recognizing this as the first time he was speaking to Ash alone.

"Yes, anything Ash." He replied.

"You..." Ash hesitated, trying to choose his words carefully. However, after spending some time trying to be selective, Ash decided it would be better if he didn't beat around the bush. "...You love Dawn, right?"

Ash wasn't sure what to expect as a response from Nando. If he would sputter a few words, blushing as he tried to put together a sentence. Or if he would deny it in an attempt to keep this a secret...but the song he just played made this as clear as a cloudless day, at least to Ash.

Nando's gaze remained fixated on Dawn.

"Very much so." Nando responded, his voice firm. There was no question in his mind how he felt about Dawn.

"So, do you think she got the message in your song?" Ash asked him, causing Nando to take a short glance at him. Nando gave him a small smirk, but Ash could see the dejected look in his eyes.

"I've played many songs for her like this Ash. She hasn't noticed once." Nando remarked.

"Then...why do you keep playing for her?"

"You like asking questions, don't you Ash?" Nando asked him in return. Ash began to scratch the back of his neck with a faint chuckle.

"It's not one of my strongest points, but how else am I supposed to get to know someone?"

Nando gave him a small nod of understanding before he answered.

"I grew up in Sinnoh. When I was thirteen I told my parents that I wanted to study music abroad. So they made the arrangements, and I came to Kanto – to Vermilion City. This city was renowned for starting careers in the performing arts. I saw it as an opportunity to grow as a musician while I was young, and prepare myself for when I was old enough to launch my own career." Nando explained to him delicately. "I came from a small place called Solaceon Town to this big city. It was all so overwhelming at first that I had a hard time making friends, and the kids I went to school with made fun of my accent. I didn't like to talk much after that, so I remained rather withdrawn."

Ash had always figured Nando was from a different region with the way he spoke English. Nando was so proper in comparison to the way everyone else spoke.

"When I started high school, it was more or less the same. I spent most of my time by myself...until I met Dawn." He admitted openly. "She heard me playing after school one day. She didn't approach me until I was done and asked me how I had learned to play so well. I struggled to explain myself. I wanted to speak like how all of you do here in Kanto...and she sat there and waited for me to get my words right. She never stopped smiling, and I was grateful for that. I'll never forget her kindness that day."

Nando sighed softly, cherishing that small memory. That was just the tip of the iceberg. He began to watch Dawn from afar, beginning to admire the qualities that she displayed on a daily basis. He saw that her kindness wasn't selective, she extended it toward everyone. She was patient with anyone and everyone she met. She worked hard all of the time, no matter what kind of assignment she received.

At first, Nando wanted to keep his distance from her, but his heart seemed to ache as he did so. So he returned to the spot where he had first met her, and played there after school every day with her on his mind. Finally she happened upon him again, and listened to him as he played. This became a routine for the two of them, and before long, Nando found himself spending a portion of his time with Dawn every school day. As they got to know each other, Dawn invited him to hang out with her close circle of friends, and Nando was happy to become a member of this group.

"So you spend all this time around her, why can't you just tell her directly?" Ash asked him openly, though he kept his voice low to ensure that their conversation wasn't overheard.

"I've always wanted to Ash, but at every opportunity, I think about what that would mean for her." Nando replied softly, causing Ash to raise his eyebrows. Nando was taking everything into account, for both parties, not just himself.

"So what is it that you're thinking about?" Ash asked him.

"You've been around Dawn enough to see that she is always working." Nando pointed out, receiving a nod from Ash. "She's focused on becoming a designer, and I don't want to do anything that would steal her time, or change her priorities."

Ash now wished that he had taken the time to talk with Nando more since they had first met. He had never imagined Nando being so noble, placing the interests of others far above his own. Someone like that didn't come along too often.

"So you're telling me that you're fine not being able to...tell her how you feel?" Ash inquired tentatively, trying to be considerate of Nando's feelings. There was no way someone could be satisfied being just friends with the feelings Nando had.

Nando sighed deeply, looking toward Dawn once again. She was speaking with Palermo, handing the woman her personal planner. Dawn explained that she wanted Palermo to sign the back of this small book, and she smiled vibrantly once this action had been completed, thanking the producer repeatedly.

"I'll be fine with it...so long as she's happy."

* * *

 **Monday, October 24th**

Seated behind the piano within the basement of North Vermilion High, Nando pulled his hands away from the keys with a great frown on his face, and his instructor Juan immediately took notice of this.

"What's the matter Nando?" Juan asked him curiously, leaning on the piano as he looked down at his pupil.

"This...this isn't how I played it yesterday." Nando muttered.

Juan wasn't able to attend the recital yesterday, so Nando intended to perform his piece again for his teacher. His goal was to give him the perfect performance he had given the audience. Even on his third attempt now, Nando still found that he was unsatisfied with how he was playing, and stopped partway through his song.

"Are you certain? You sound excellent to me." Juan replied. He could hear a notable difference between how Nando was playing today, and the way he had practiced the same song last week. Juan was hoping a little bit of encouragement would help Nando to work through his funk.

"No, something is wrong." Nando stated firmly, looking at the piano. This caused him to shake his head immediately. He knew better than to blame his instrument. "It's something...with me."

"But you said you were perfect yesterday." Juan noted, curious as to what was bothering Nando so much, though he was beginning to form a hunch.

"I was though." Nando said pointedly. He heard every note he played yesterday. His performance was flawless, so why couldn't he replicate that today?

"Are you still playing for your lady friend?" Juan asked with a playful smirk. However he quickly dropped this expression as Nando became mortified, his eyes widening.

"I'm...not." He said out loud, the realization now dawning on him. Dawn had always been in his thoughts as he played, and yet for the first time in a long time, Nando was playing without her on his mind.

"Did something happen yesterday between the two of you?" Juan pressed, poking the subject now. He could already tell what might have taken place, and he was quickly picking out what he wanted to share with Nando.

"I told myself that...I didn't want to get in her way." Nando said softly. He could recall word for word what he had told to Ash.

That he didn't want to do anything to disrupt Dawn from advancing toward her goals.

That he was fine not being in a close relationship with her.

That he would settle for just being...friends.

Nando remembered the pain in his heart when he saw Dawn in the audience, or rather, when he saw that she was seated next to Ash Ketchum. The thought made him choke up, but he knew Dawn well enough to know that she had taken up an interest in Ash. Nando wouldn't fight for her. He couldn't bear the thought of her being tormented by trying not to crush his own feelings. Nando's expression softened as he exhaled, lowering his shoulder as he finally said this to himself.

The relationship he desired to have with Dawn...was not meant to be.

Seeing Nando's sullen expression, Juan took a seat beside his student and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Love is a very tricky thing Nando, but it's a part of life." Juan stated with a straight face. Juan's usual charisma had been replaced by a firm, reassuring voice as he demonstrated his wisdom. "I believe the say was...'tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all."

Nando didn't respond.

"I believe this will be your next step as a musician Nando." Juan stated, deciding to pick out the positives for Nando's newest experience. "Music isn't always about love and happiness. Sometimes you have to express your pain and anguish...or tell a story to your audience about what you've been through and how you've overcome different challenges."

Nando raised his head a bit at this, realizing what Juan was alluding to though his instructor decided to say it for reinforcement.

"Love may not always be there for you Nando." Juan noted softly as he looked toward his desk across the room. On it was a wooden picture frame of a smiling woman, his wife whom he had lost years ago. "But music will always be by your side. No one can take that from you."

* * *

Zoey only stayed after school once a week. As a member of the photography club, these students met after school on Monday's to schedule club activities and projects. So it wasn't often that she was on school property after the school day had ended, but today was just such an occasion. Once her club meeting had ended, Zoey had been making her way to her car when she passed a group of seniors in the hallway. They were expressing some disappointment, and at the mention of Nando's name, Zoey perked up at the thought of visiting her friend.

She hadn't seen him much since they had become seniors, but if Nando's old habits held true, then she would find him outside of the cafeteria playing one of his many instruments. Making her way to one of the largest rooms in the school, Zoey found herself becoming anxious as she recalled the last conversation she had with Nando. It had been a few weeks, but she distinctly remembered advising him to act on his feelings for Dawn. Zoey had a feeling that his hesitation was going to be his undoing.

Entering the cafeteria, Zoey went straight to the staircase that led down to the seating area. Looking across the room, she soon spotted Nando seated alone at one of the tables right outside of the cafeteria. She furrowed her brow at the sight of him just sitting there. His guitar case was closed, resting behind him, and Nando was leaning on the table, staring off into space.

Nando couldn't focus. The school day had already ended, and out of habit he had come to this spot. It was where he always played after school for Dawn. His little sessions had become popular, with a number of students coming to listen to him each day. Today however, Nando couldn't find it in himself to play.

A few of the seniors that knew of his routine had passed by earlier to hear him. Seeing that he wasn't playing, they quickly approached him and asked if he was okay. Nando assured them that he was fine and just needed a...a break. None of them questioned his answer, telling him to enjoy the rest of his day before they left.

Nando was glad they didn't interrogate him about why he didn't want to play.

He had unknowingly given up on the love of his life, and the mere thought of that decision tore his heart to shreds.

"Earth to Nando~" Zoey called, waving a hand in front of his face. Nando blinked as his eyes focused on the red head that was seated across from him. There was brief expression of surprise from Nando, then his eyes darkened.

"Hey..." He said flatly.

"You okay?" She asked him, placing her arms on the table.

"Uh~" Nando drawled with uncertainty. He felt numb, but he wasn't sure if that was the right way to describe what he was feeling. "I'm not really sure."

"Does it have to do with Dawn?" Zoey clarified and seeing Nando stiffen a bit, she nodded slowly. "What happened?"

Nando lowered his shoulders, looking down at his hands that he had placed on his lap. He spent a few moments grasping the tips of his fingers before he made eye contact with Zoey again.

"...I invited her to my piano recital." Nando began. "I was hoping this time I could...tell her how I feel."

Zoey's face brightened at the mention of this. This had been Nando's struggle for as long as Zoey had known him. She was glad to hear that he had acted on his feelings. Then she realized that with his current expression, it must not have gone according to his plan.

"Did she, turn you down?" Zoey asked carefully. She knew that Dawn wouldn't reciprocate Nando's feelings. Dawn's interest firmly revolved around Ash.

"No." Nando said, shaking his head. "She came with Ash, and when I saw her with him, I couldn't find it in myself to tell her."

Zoey bit down on her lower lip slightly, watching as Nando seemed to shrink in his seat even more.

"I'm sorry Nando." Zoey said softly, watching him closely from across the table. For such a tall guy, he seemed so small now. Following the path of Nando's gaze, Zoey saw that he was looking at his hands that were beneath the table. Through the glass table, she could see that his hands were clenched tightly. "It's okay to be angry you know."

"I shouldn't be though." He said after a pause.

Zoey put on a straight face now as she stared at Nando. She knew him too well to brush this comment aside. He was trying to deny that he was in pain.

"Nando, stop that." Zoey stated, causing him to look up at her curiously.

"Stop what?" He asked in response, almost innocently.

"You don't have to pretend for me." Zoey continued, leaning forward onto the table.

"I can't." Nando said after a few moments.

He had been suppressing all sorts of negative thoughts since his recital, but with every mention of Dawn and Ash, he drew closer to a point where his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Nando didn't want to cross that threshold for fear that he might say something he would regret. Envisioning Dawn once again, he could see her staring dreamily at Ash, abandoning her pursuits to spend more time with him.

"Nando-" Zoey began, but he interrupted her.

"She shouldn't be chasing after him." Nando said sharply, burying his face in his hand. "She should have chosen me."

There was a brief pause where Nando's mouth hung open. Zoey could see that he was surprised with himself for saying what was on his mind, but that just opened the floodgates for him.

"What on earth fascinates her about Ash?" He asked, looking up at the sky. "He saved her life. I've come to terms with that. I'm grateful for it...that he saved the girl I love. But, why? Why did she choose him?"

Nando shook his head, running a hand down the side of his face with an irritated sigh.

"He knows nothing about her. He doesn't know that her work ethic is second to none. That her kindness in unfiltered. That her positivity is contagious. That someone who actually _loves her_ , would drop everything to support her and make sure that she reaches her goals." Nando slapped his hand down onto the table, causing Zoey to flinch slightly. He exhaled loudly, and Zoey allowed him a few minutes to cool off.

She had never seen Nando get angry before. His voice was always so calm and soothing, but to hear him speak so passionately about Dawn was a first.

"You really did love her, huh?" Zoey asked quietly.

"Damn it." He muttered, looking down. Blinking back a few tears, Nando raised his brow as he felt a hand grasp the hand he had left on the table. It was Zoey. "I shouldn't be angry at Ash. He even spoke to me after I had performed yesterday. In fact, he was the one who understood the purpose of my song, and asked me why I couldn't just tell her how I feel. You know what I said to him...? I told him, I was happy so long as she was. Why the hell would I say that?"

Nando wanted to hit himself. He had given up. He had chosen to put himself in the position he was in now. He had no right being angry with Ash.

This was becoming his greatest regret. Giving up on the love of his life.

Feeling an around wrap around his torso, Nando discovered that Zoey was seated next to him now.

"You know Nando...you're just too good sometimes." Zoey whispered as she tried to comfort him. "But..."

Zoey paused to think.

"Are you sure that...you would've been fine with that? Giving up everything for Dawn? Don't get me wrong, she's wonderful. But are you sure that you could give up on everything you have to be _that_ devoted to her?" Zoey inquired, looking directly at him.

Nando opened his mouth to speak. Of course he would have! Dawn meant the world to him. He would have been perfectly content seeing her succeed.

Zoey though, cut him off before he could declare this openly.

"Think about it for a sec." Zoey interjected.

Nando shut his mouth, and began to go through his thoughts a second time. He would've been happy seeing Dawn happy. He was certain of that. Her happiness would more than suffice for his own. Right? It would be...enough?

…

If he was going to support Dawn, he probably wouldn't have the time to practice playing music enough to pursue it professionally. He could do without that though...right? Could he, give up on...music? Music was what brought him to Kanto. It was all he came to Kanto with. The lonely nights that he had suffered through being so far from his family, wallowing in homesickness, Nando's best friend was his cello. All of this was long before he had met Dawn Berlitz.

" _Love may not always be there for you Nando...but music will always be by your side. No one can take that from you."_

Juan's words rung in Nando's ears, causing him to blink. Then he realized for the first time in a long time, just as Juan had pointed out to him, he was beginning to think without taking Dawn into consideration.

"If you love something, let it go." Nando muttered, and Zoey gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"You'll pull through Nando." She assured him. "You will."

* * *

 **Friday, October 28th**

Ash was seated on a bench by himself in the park a few blocks from his home. It was the last week of the month, and he had received a notice from the Red Skulls that they could use his help.

For a change, Ash was earlier than the member of the Skulls, affording him some time to sit back and relax. Leaning back into the bench, Ash thought back to the past week. It had been rather strange, in his opinion at least.

Nando had stopped coming to lunch this past week. Even when they were together in classes such as history and gym, he wasn't speaking that much. Ash was positive that his behavior had something to do with the discussion they had at the recital this past Sunday. Perhaps Nando wasn't quite ready to face Dawn, so he was keeping his distance for now.

Dawn and May had a different view of his current demeanor. After mentioning Nando to the two of them, they explained that he always got like this once he started composing a new song. Ash had shrugged off their explanation, frowning to himself. They knew Nando better than he did after all. Maybe he was reading into it too much. Regardless of that, Ash could only hope that their musically gifted friend regained his pleasant attitude. Their conversations weren't the same without Nando's calm and subdued input that would prevent Dawn and May from gushing over everything they talked about.

Blinking, Ash's focus returned to the present as he noticed a silver haired man approaching him. Seeing the black ivy cap on his head, Ash immediately identified him as the man he was going to be meeting with. Arriving at the bench, he took a seat beside Ash with a sigh of relief and looked straight at him.

Ash remained silent as the man sized him up and gave a nod of approval.

"Alright, so here's what's happening this weekend." He began, surprising Ash.

"Wait, don't you need to see my-" Ash began, pulling down the collar of his shirt to reveal the red neckerchief he wore beneath it. The man however, raised a hand to silence him.

"Kid, you've been coming to us for months now. Some of us are going to remember you." He stated, motioning for Ash to put away the neckerchief. "We can skip the formalities and get straight down to business today.

Ash raised his eyebrows at this. He had never thought that some of the Red Skulls would bother to remember him.

Was that good or bad?

* * *

 **Sunday, October 30th**

"Are you sure you'll be alright kid?"

Ash inhaled sharply as the car came to a stop. Glancing out of the window of the passenger seat, Ash saw that they were indeed at his destination – the apartment building where Shauna lived.

Then realizing that he hadn't answered the question, Ash looked back at the driver of the car. It was the same man he had met on Friday who had introduced himself as Hun.

"Yeah, I have a friend here who can patch me up." Ash stated as he gave Hun a nod of reassurance.

They had been partnered together for the weekend, making a trip into Lotus territory just like Ash had last month.

This time however, it was just the two of them. Hun had given Ash all of the details, something Red Skulls hadn't done prior to this.

Hun had scheduled a battle with one of the top members of the White Lotus, but the battle was going to be hosted in Lotus territory. Due to the Skulls recent activity, there had been some tension between the two groups. So rather than Hun going in on his own, Ash was added as a bodyguard.

It had been an exciting weekend for Ash as he spent time with Hun. As it turned out, Hun was one of the elite members of the Red Skulls, frequently working in tandem with the King of the Red Skulls though Hun kept the name of his man a secret.

Hun had even shared with Ash that the Red Skulls have been watching him closely since his last job with them. The fact that they had selected him to join Hun this weekend was proof that they saw potential in him as a trainer. There might have even been a place among the Red Skulls for a trainer like him in the near future.

"Don't forget what I said now. The Red Skulls are always looking for good trainers. My boss would have the final say, but if I put in a good word for you I'm sure you'll get in." Hun said to him.

"Uh...I don't know at the moment. I think I want some time to think about it." Ash replied as he glanced at his left bicep that was wrapped in a portion of his t-shirt.

"No worries...but you know, why don't we exchange contacts, that way you can give me your answer when you're ready." Hun suggested, and Ash complied. They quickly exchanged this bit of information and Hun grinned at Ash once this was complete.

"It was nice working with you." Ash commented as he opened the passenger door to step out of the car. "I hope we see each other again some time."

"I'm sure we will. Hopefully next time you won't get all banged up." Hun replied.

"I hope so." Ash said as he opened up the back door now, retrieving his backpack and which he tossed over his right shoulder. Then he grabbed the small duffle bag he had received and shut the door.

Grimacing as he shut each of the doors, Ash patted the top of the car and gave Hun a wave. Then he turned and made his way to the entrance of Shauna's building. He kept his mind off how his left bicep burned and ached. He only had a little bit farther to go before he could be treated. Entering the double doors that led into the lobby of the building, Ash opened one by leaning against it and slipped inside. Glancing through the door, Ash could finally relax now that Hun was gone.

He didn't want to look weak, not in front of Hun at least. There was an offer for him to join the Red Skulls on the table, and he didn't need anything to dampen his resume. He had to look tough, because it wasn't going to be easy as a trainer.

Dropping the duffle bag, Ash looked toward his bicep again and reached to tug at the shirt he had wrapped around it. He winced feeling the shirt move slightly against his wound, and he regretted even touching it at the moment.

Hun wasn't the only one who had a chance to battle someone this weekend.

-X-X-

" _You're doing great Pikachu, keep it up!" Ash called out to his partner as it dashed around the small area they had been given for this battle. Even though it was rather confined, Pikachu was evading the attacks of the opposing Murkrow with ease._

 _The airborne Pokemon was struggling to keep up with Pikachu's ground speed, allowing Ash plenty of time to think of a way to strike this Pokemon out of the air. They had managed to dodge Pikachu's Thunderbolt twice now, so Ash had to find a way to get Pikachu at to a point blank range to give Murkrow the shock of a lifetime._

" _Murkrow, use Air Cutter!" Their opponent hollered. Murkrow gave a squawk as it began to flap its wings rapidly. They glowed white before it began to fire off blades of wind at Pikachu._

" _Pikachu, dodge it with Agility." Ash fired back. As if Pikachu wasn't fast enough already, it was now a blur on the ground as it raced around. Murkrow continued to launch its attacks desperately trying to predict Pikachu's movements in an effort to cut it off. This proved to be futile as Murkrow began to throw Air Cutters around haphazardly, hoping for a lucky hit at this point._

 _Racing by Ash, Pikachu changed directions on a dime to avoid another blade of wind, but this was followed immediately by a shout of pain. Coming skidding to a halt, Pikachu turned to find Ash on his knees, grasping his left arm in pain._

-X-X-

Ash had spent the whole weekend watching Hun prepare for his big battle, and then participate in it. It was incredible battle as well, one that lit a fire in Ash's heart. There were other members of the White Lotus in attendance for this battle, and Ash eagerly challenged one of them when Hun's battle was over. Unfortunately, the end result of this battle was Ash getting hurt. Being clipped by an Air Cutter, Ash's arm had been lacerated and all he could do was tear off a piece of his shirt to cover the wound. Hun helped him to make sure the bleeding wasn't excessive, and they immediately left to take Ash to Shauna's home.

"Ash?" Shauna exclaimed as she stepped into the lobby. "What happened?"

She had already seen his arm and the shirt wrapped around it which was stained red.

"How long has that wound been open?" She demanded to know as she rushed over to him.

"Not long." Ash replied as Shauna grabbed his bags.

"Come on, let's go upstairs so I can check it properly. I don't want my neighbors seeing this." She muttered as she looked at Ash. He looked like a mess with the lower part of his shirt being torn off and used as a bandage.

Taking the elevator up to her floor, Shauna was relieved that no one had seen them on their trip to her apartment. Shutting the door to her small home and locking it once they were inside, Shauna ordered Ash to take a seat on her couch while she went into her bathroom to retrieve some of the supplies she would need. Returning to Ash, she found that he had already removed his shirt as well as the make-shift bandage he had around his bicep.

Shauna frowned as she sat down next to him. The first thought that came into her head was that Ash had no problem being shirtless in her house. He had his shirt off more than she did, and this was _her_ house! Keeping that thought to herself though, Shauna began to examine his cut, trying to figure out how he could be harmed like this. His skin was torn up around his bicep, almost as if the grooves of a blade had been run down his upper arm. It wasn't pretty as she dabbed at the blood with a cloth, clearing it all away. Ash wrinkled his nose at the sight of his skin now that it was dry.

"What did you do?" Shauna asked him softly as she put on a pair of gloves now. Ash remained silent though, causing Shauna to purse her lips. "Alright then. This is going to sting, but please, don't say anything."

Taking some of the ointment she had brought, Shauna began to apply it to Ash's skin. He bit down on his lower lip to keep from shouting as his skin became hot from the cream. Then Shauna began to massage it into his skin, causing Ash to groan as he balled up his free hand into a fist. He shot Shauna a glare at one point, and she stuck her tongue out at him as she continued her work. Once she finished, she showed him the two pairs of gauze she had brought. One was white while the other was tan. She first took a fair amount of the white one, cut it, folded it and placed it on his wound while telling him to hold it there for her.

Following her order, Ash watched as Shauna took the tan colored gauze and wrapped it around his entire bicep twice over. Once she had embedded two small pins through the stitching, she moved her hands back a little to make sure everything remained in place. Ash began to move his arm a bit before looking at Shauna.

"Thanks." He said simply.

"So what happened?" Shauna asked him again, slowly this time, emphasizing each word. He only looked at her, his expression neutral.

Ash wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do at the moment. His activity with the Red Skulls was better off remaining a secret, but he knew for a fact that it must have been torture for Shauna to treat him without any clue as to how this was happening to him. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to at least fill Shauna in...

Breaking eye contact with her, he struggled to get past his hesitation, instead looking for a way out.

"I'm going to the bathroom." He said, rising from the couch.

Shauna sighed loudly after he disappeared into the corridor where her bathroom and bedroom were located. Glancing at the shirt he had placed on the floor beside her couch, he had wrapped up the blood stained portion of his shirt within it. Picking it up from the floor, Shauna tossed it into the garbage in her kitchen along with the gloves she wore. Heading to her bedroom, Shauna searched through her dresser for one of the over sized t-shirts she would wear at night, hoping that these would fit Ash comfortably. Glancing up at the sound of someone trying to open her door, Shauna returned to her living room while trying to recall if she was expecting any visitors tonight.

The persistent knocking at her door immediately reminded her that Serena was supposed to come over. She had forgotten all about that after receiving a phone call from Ash earlier. Answering the door, Serena grinned brightly at Shauna who was clearly annoyed by all of the noise Serena was making.

"What was the door locked for Shauna?" Serena asked as she tried to step past Shauna. Her tan skinned friend stepped into Serena's path though, keeping her in the doorway. "What's the matter?"

"Uh..." Shauna muttered, struggling to think of something on the spot. Serena though, took a quick glance around the living room and spotted the extra bags on the floor beside the couch. Donning a sly grin, Serena glanced back at her friend.

"Oh, you should've told me you were having company over tonight." Serena said suggestively, winking at her friend.

"It's...nothing like that." Shauna began before the door to her bathroom opened up. Serena leaned to the side a bit, waiting to see who would step out of the corridor.

Her eyes became wide as a shirtless Ash Ketchum joined them in the living room, and he froze upon seeing Serena in the doorway. Serena's cheery expression faded quickly as she had a few moments to stare at Ash, her gaze becoming focused on his arm.

The discussion she had with Brock last month suddenly came back to her. She had pestered Brock to get him to share what Ash had been doing since he wasn't going to tell anyone on his own. Now though, she intended to make him share this information no matter what.

"Serena-" Ash began.

"What happened?" She interjected immediately.

Shauna immediately noticed that Ash's expression hardened once again. If he had been close to sharing what happened with her moments earlier, he certainly wasn't feeling the same way now. Shauna could feel the tension in the room increase tenfold as Serena stepped past her. With no choice, she shut the door as Ash and Serena stared intently at each other.

"Why do you need to know?" He asked in return, rather defensively.

"What kind of question is that Ash?" Serena asked sharply, raising her voice as she motioned to him. "Just look at yourself! The last two times I've seen you you've been hurt. I'm worried about you."

Ash opened his mouth, but lacked a response. In the mixed bag of emotions he was experiencing, guilt became the predominant one due to Serena's concern. He had been keeping everything a secret to stop everyone from worrying about him, but that only accomplished the opposite. Shauna felt relieved as Ash took a deep breath and his expression relaxed a little.

"Okay...I've been working with the Red Skulls at the end of every month." Ash admitted, leaving Serena surprised that he had told them this so easily now despite being so stubborn in the past. Not to mention Brock had been so tight lipped about it when she last spoke to him.

"Why?" Serena almost barked, causing Ash to wince. He broke eye contact with her now. "You know those guys are dangerous!"

"Serena, I know what I'm getting into when I work with them." Ash stated, irritation evident in his voice. "I'm not sitting here wondering why I keep getting hurt."

"You shouldn't be getting hurt in the first place." Serena pointed out, placing a hand in her hair. Her heart was beginning to race already as she thought about engaging Ash on a subject the two of them hadn't touched in ages. "Why are you doing this to yourself Ash? Why do you keep forcing the issue and trying to become a Pokemon trainer?"

Ash looked back at her now, his expression hardening once again.

He knew that he hadn't shared much of his personal life with Serena, despite how much time they had spent together in the past. She couldn't possibly know that he was putting himself through this month after month for his family. She had no idea what happened in his home. Yet, all of those thoughts didn't stop him from snapping at her.

"Forcing the issues? You don't know anything Serena so why are you butting in?" Ash asked her sharply.

"I'm butting in because you won't tell me anything!" She retorted, raising her voice once again as she pointed at him.

Ash sucked in his lips, trying to let his conscience do a bit of work. Serena had said herself that he had kept her out of the loop. That she was questioning him because she didn't know what was going on. The faint voice of Ash's conscience couldn't compare to the booming voice of his frustration. He couldn't believe that his closest friends still questioned his goals. Why couldn't they just support him? Why did they oppose him?

"I don't tell you anything because I already know what you're going to say, just like everyone else." Ash barked at her harshly. "'This is too dangerous Ash.' 'You need to stop.' 'Why are you doing this to yourself?'"

"How many times do I have to say this Ash? We say all of those things because we have seen you get hurt, over and over again!" Serena shouted over him. "We care about you, and none of us want to see you hurt!"

Ash laughed scornfully in response.

"You all can be a bunch of hypocrites when you're ready. If I wanted to be something else... _anything else_ , you wouldn't have a problem with it. But since I'm trying to become a trainer, if I get hurt, you all just say ' _oh, it's too dangerous!_ '" Ash said mockingly.

"That's because it is!" Serena screamed at him, finally losing her temper. "Do you even look at the news Ash? A Pokemon could level the entire building we're standing in all by itself! How can you stand there and tell me that Pokemon are safe to be around?!"

Shauna wasn't quite sure if Ash and Serena had realized it yet, but they had gotten very close as they shouted at each other. Ash was a full head and shoulders taller than Serena, but that didn't stop the brunette from glaring holes into him as she stared up at him.

"I know you're better than that Serena..." Ash voice had lost all of the anger that had been fueling it previously. His usual calmness had returned despite the fierce expression he wore. "You never let people tell you what you should think, so why are you letting them tell you how you should look at me?"

Serena's eyes widened momentarily, and then she opened her mouth to speak.

"I am not!" She protested, her blood boiling. "Why are you being so stubborn? Can't you tell that we genuinely care about you Ash? We hate seeing you get hurt. _I_ hate seeing you get hurt. Are you really so thick headed that you don't understand that?!"

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Serena only needed a glance to know that it belonged to Shauna. Serena returned her gaze to Ash, and their stare down recommenced. Shauna followed up, giving Serena light nudge.

"Let's stop this guys, before someone says something they can't take back." Shauna stated, forcing them to break eye contact. "Here Ash, you can bring this to me when you find some time."

Ash accepted the t-shirt Shauna had brought for him, and took some time to slip it over his torso. Once he was comfortable in the shirt, he collected his belonging and left without a word. Serena watched him silently the entire time, hoping that he would make eye contact with her one more time. The temptation to apologize to him grew with each passing moment, but his refusal to even look at her further irked Serena. He was just too hardheaded for his own good sometimes!

"I'll be right back." Shauna said as she followed Ash out into the corridor. He was waiting for her outside so that they could speak privately. Shauna shut the door to her apartment before approaching him.

"Sorry you had to hear all that." Ash apologized in a low voice as he opened up the duffle back hanging from his shoulder.

"Don't fuss about that." Shauna said, hoping to help put Ash at ease. It was so rare that Ash became visibly upset, but for him to get so angry with Serena was something Shauna would have never anticipated.

Ash pulled a sizable stack of dollars out of the bag which had been bound together by a rubber band. This was the money he had received from the Red Skulls, no doubt. Shauna just couldn't figure out where they got this much money that they could hand it out. Ash pulled off the rubber band and began to count through the stack, separating eight hundred dollars for Shauna.

"Thanks for patching me up tonight." Ash replied as he placed the money in her hands. "I hope I didn't ruin your night though."

Ash had glanced back at the entrance of her apartment with a look of concern.

"Don't worry, we always find something to talk about." She assured him before her face became serious. "But please Ash, for her sake, be safe."

Ash looked down the corridor to the elevators that he would be heading for. He wasn't sure if he could make that promise.

He gave Shauna a wave before he left, and she watched him until he disappeared into one of the elevators. Tucking the money she had received into her pants pocket, Shauna returned to her apartment where she found Serena seated on the sofa. She had turned on the television and was now aimlessly flipping through the channel networks in search of something to watch. She wore a frown, fighting to conceal how she felt.

"Serena, are you okay?" Shauna inquired as she took a seat beside her friend.

"Yeah, I'm good." Serena stated, shaking her head before she repeated herself. "I'm good. If Ash doesn't want to be good, that's completely on him now."

* * *

"Casey, Macy, come on. Go get washed up for bed!" Cassidy said as she clapped her hands. The three of them had been watching TV together in the living room to wrap up their Sunday night.

It had been awfully quiet this past weekend with Ash's absence. Cassidy and Casey had grown accustomed to it, but Macy still spent the last two days asking when he would come back home. Fortunately they could promise her that he would be home by the next day.

Per Cassidy's request, the two young girls rose from the couch and went upstairs, leaving Cassidy to sit alone in the living room. Casey and Macy had been watching cartoons, something that Cassidy struggled to even feign interest in for them, so she was thankful she had an opportunity to watch something to her liking now. As she began to go through a few channels, Cassidy winced as felt a pain run through her chest. Placing her hand above her bust, she leaned back into the couch to relax and ease the pain.

She breathed slowly for a few moments, shutting her eyes to go through a silent prayer. The pain eased up after some time, and Cassidy gave a sigh of relief. She could only hope that Ash would be home soon. She didn't feel comfortable having this pain while he was away.

With the thought of Ash on her mind, Cassidy perked up after hearing a knock on the front door. She needed a few seconds before she stood up, slowly heading over to the door to look through the peephole. Even with the streetlight on she could hardly make out the person standing outside, but a familiar voice confirmed her suspicions.

"It's Ash." He called out. He was back early!

Opening the door for him, Cassidy was glad to see him though he had a backpack on his left shoulder, a duffle bag hanging from his right shoulder and a large brown bag of groceries in his right arm. She chuckled softly at the sight of him holding all of this before inviting him inside.

"How have you been?" He asked her as she shut the door. Turning to look at her, Ash furrowed his brow after studying her for a moment. She looked pale...

"I think I should be asking you that." She retorted as she motioned for Ash to head to the kitchen. Heading down the corridor, Ash went into the kitchen and set the brown bag on the counter for Cassidy as she came to kitchen at her own pace.

"Well I'm alright." He responded, before adding that he would be right back. Ash left her to go upstairs to his room, and Cassidy assumed that it was to release Pikachu from his backpack. The poor thing probably spent the better part of this weekend stowed away in Ash's bag.

Ash had been trying to keep her in the dark about his activities at the end of each month, but Cassidy had put the pieces together some time ago. Whenever Ash disappeared, Pikachu would disappear with him. Not every time, but that was the only reason Cassidy needed to know to figure out that Ash was out of the streets battling during the weekend. She didn't like that he was doing this, and she had voiced her concerns to him, but that didn't stop him.

She didn't make it a point to oppose him anymore. Ash wasn't her son, and she only had so much authority over him now that he was almost eighteen.

Not to mention his efforts did relieve some of the stress Cassidy went through after having her funds exhausted each month. For the time being, she would leave things as they were and trust that Ash would take care of himself.

Separating the fruits and vegetables Ash had brought, Cassidy began to tuck them away into the fridge before wincing again. Her chest became tight, forcing her to lean against the counter as her body became numb.

Cassidy drew a shaky breath, a white noise ringing out in her ears. She blinked back some hot tears, the pain overwhelming her. She wanted to scream, but her voice faltered in her throat and her strength faded. It was an agonizing experience as her chest locked up. She hunched over, and the only hand she had on the edge of the counter slipped off of it.

"Cassidy?" Ash called out as he came back down the staircase. Reaching the base of the stairs, Ash turned into the corridor to see Cassidy laying on her side on the kitchen floor. "Cassidy!"

* * *

 **A/N**

And with that, we conclude a very emotion fueled chapter, or at least that how I'm hoping it came across. I got to say that this chapter is my second favorite, a really close second. In fact, I'll just say its tied with chapter five.

I really enjoyed getting to focus on Nando for the last two chapters. It was kind of based on an old story of mine from back in high school. There was a girl I absolutely adored, I would do anything for her and I mean ANYTHING. Unfortunately it didn't mean much to her, and I could tell. It was something I could live with. We parted ways after graduation, haven't seen her since but that's just a part of life. What can you do? :P

So as I've said before, and I'll say it again, I've been setting the stage for the meaty part of this story. I'll remind everyone that this is a Pokemon AU, and I was taking the time to establish how things work rather than just dump all of the information in a note at the beginning of the first chapter. I will say that we are definitely diving into some of the heavier stuff now, so look forward to it.

Much respect to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt. He was banging out these chapters left and right to get ready for this upload spree we've started. Thanks for all of the support everyone and I'll see you at the end of the next chapter!


	13. Caged Bird

**Chapter 13**

* * *

 _His mattress was as hard as stone, but he still found comfort on it as laid back. Allowing his mind to drift, he thought back to that night. He would never forget that night._

 _It was the first time in a long time that he felt truly lost and...helpless._

 _That night would mark the start of his journey._

* * *

 **Sunday, October 30th**

Ash sat in the lobby of Lt Surge's Memorial Hospital on a wide seat with Casey on one side of him, passing time by using her phone, and Macy on the other leaning on his side as she slept. It was well past eleven o'clock and Ash had no idea how the rest of this night was going to play out.

It had been ten years since Ash had felt so panicked about something. His discovery of Cassidy writhing in pain on the kitchen floor had filled him with an ominous dread. What followed was a blur of paramedics bursting into their home to check Cassidy's vitals. Even with how grim the situation seemed, these people worked with an almost chilling sense of professionalism, meticulously examining Cassidy and assuring Ash that everyone would be okay.

Their words did little to help him as he watched them strap Cassidy to a gurney and wheel her off to the ambulance outside. Ash had managed to keep the girls upstairs during the whole ordeal, but the officer escorting the ambulance told Ash they couldn't leave him home after what had just transpired. The trio was taken to the hospital, closely following the ambulance that Cassidy was in.

Entering the hospital, Ash caught a glimpse of Cassidy as the paramedics rushed her through the lobby. That was the last time he had seen her, roughly an hour and a half ago, and he couldn't stop his mind from wandering.

What would have happened if he didn't come home tonight? His original plan had been to return tomorrow, but his injury earlier today caused him to shorten his little trip this weekend. If he wasn't home, would Casey have been able to respond properly? For a twelve-year-old, she was very strong-minded, but there was no telling how she would handle the situation or Macy for that matter. Glancing at the small girl leaning on him, Ash exhaled softly and placed his arm around her.

Despite the reassurance he had received from the officers and the paramedics, Ash couldn't lay this thought to rest. What was going to happen to Cassidy? Would she be alright?

Feeling someone tap his shoulder, Ash put his thoughts aside as he looked toward Casey.

"Ash?" She whispered to him. Just a glance at her was enough for Ash to see that Casey was deeply distressed. She had been putting up a front, but she was likely asking herself the same questions he was.

"What's up?" He asked her, waiting patiently for Casey to word her question.

"What's...what's going to happen...to Cassidy I mean?" She asked him in return, her tone hushed. She looked at him, hope in her eyes that Ash would have an answer to this question.

"I...don't know." Ash admitted, shaking his head. He had no choice but to be honest with her. He was scared just like her, afraid of what grim news the doctors might have for them. Fortunately, he could conceal his apprehension. "But no matter what, just be strong, for Macy."

Casey took a moment to look at her younger sister, and then after taking a deep breath, she gave Ash a firm nod.

The double doors leading further into the hospital opened up, revealing a doctor who was accompanied by a well-dressed woman. He scanned the lobby briefly before his gaze settled on Ash, Casey, and Macy. Approaching them, Ash could see the doctor draw in a breath as though he was preparing to give them some news that he would prefer not to share.

"You all, live with Cassidy, correct?" The doctor asked them, receiving a nod from Ash and Casey. "I'm Ethan Avertt, a cardiologist here. I'll be taking over the treatment of your mother."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Ash." Ash said, extending his free hand to Ethan who shook his hand, being mindful of Macy who was still sound asleep. "The little one here is Macy, and-"

"My name is Casey." Casey interjected, preferring to introduce herself. Ethan raised his eyebrow and then smiled, choosing to shake hands with her as well.

"It's nice to meet you all." He said kindly. "Can I asked how old you guys are?"

"I'm twelve." Casey stated.

"And I'm eighteen." Ash said, earning a sharp glance from Casey. Why was he lying?

Nudging Ash with her elbow, this gained his attention as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Seeing Casey's questioning gaze, Ash gave her a small wink before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Everything's going to be fine Casey." Ash said to her in an effort to play off their small exchange. This caused Ethan to consider Casey's age. Perhaps it would be best for him to only talk with Ash.

"Ash, can I speak with you privately?" Ethan requested, and Ash felt his stomach drop. This couldn't be good.

"Yeah, it's no problem." Ash said as he nudged Casey. He motioned for her to take his spot supporting Macy as he rose from the chair they had been sitting on. Once the two girls were comfortable, Ash followed Ethan as they took some distance from his siblings.

"So Ash, do you know what a cardiologist is?" Ethan asked him after a few moments. Studying Ash's expression, Ethan picked up on the anxiety Ash must have been experiencing and brushed his question aside. "I mentioned it earlier for a reason, but I'm essentially a heart doctor."

Ash furrowed his brow for a moment, putting the pieces together now.

"What's wrong with Cassidy's heart?" Ash asked him curiously, fighting off the quiver in his voice.

"Earlier tonight, Cassidy suffered a silent heart attack." Ethan paused after revealing this, giving Ash some time to digest this news. "There are many kinds of heart attacks, but this one, in particular, is hard to determine the cause of. It could've been stress induced, or due to poor eating habits."

"So what's the deal, is she going to recover?" Ash asked him, getting straight to the point.

"I'm going to be frank with you Ash. Her heart is no longer distributing enough blood and oxygen on its own to survive. It's going to cause her vital systems to begin to fail." Ethan stated, and Ash sucked his lips in as he looked away from Ethan. His head dropped as he took a few breaths through his nostrils. It was a tough piece of information to handle.

Cassidy... was going to die?

"Isn't there...anything you can do for her?" Ash asked softly, making eye contact with Ethan.

"We already have her on life support, but she's in danger of falling into a coma," Ethan explained and Ash's heart sunk. "We will keep her under observation of course, and we'll do anything in our power for her."

"Thanks." Ash said, and Ethan placed his hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze to console him.

"As much as I hate to add to this heavy subject Ash, I was informed that she is your foster parent," Ethan noted as he glanced at the two girls seated across the lobby. "Is there anyone else taking care of you all while she is incapacitated?

"Yeah..." Ash hesitated for a moment. This was a tricky path he was about to step onto. "...Her husband. His name is Butch."

"I'm assuming he's coming to pick you all up?" Ethan continued, but Ash shook his head.

"He's away on business at the moment. I have some friends that can take us home." Ash explained, causing Ethan to frown.

"Hmm...Anita, do you think Ash will be able to answer your questions?" Ethan asked as he turned to the woman that had entered the lobby with him. She shrugged her shoulders as she approached them, smiling faintly at Ash.

"We'll just have to find out the old fashioned way." She replied before introducing herself. "I'm Anita, I need someone to confirm a few things for me."

"Uh, okay." Ash said as she looked down at the clipboard she held.

"The reason I have to ask you these questions is because of Cassidy's medical history. Her expenses have never been covered by insurance. According to our records, her husband Butch has paid for prior hospital visits out of pocket." Anita explained for Ash. "You said he's away right now, and obviously I don't know when he plans to return, but we need confirmation that her expenses will be covered."

"Yeah," Ash said, nodding his head. "They will be. It'll take some time to contact him, but I'm sure he'll cover everything."

"I don't want to seem like I'm putting any pressure on you or your family Ash, this is simply a precaution on our part. It costs a lot of money to run this facility." Anita stated, and Ash understood.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure everything is covered." Ash assured her. She praised his maturity before leaving him with Ethan.

"So as I said Ash, we'll keep Cassidy under observation. If you'd like, you can come back during visiting hours tomorrow for an update." Ethan pointed out, giving Ash a small smile with this.

"Yeah, we'll be back." Ash said as he shook hands with Ethan one more time. Ethan then left Ash alone, allowing him to hang his head in defeat. They were on their own now.

Taking out his phone, Ash quickly went through his contact list to pull up Brock's phone number. Calling his close friend, it was a few moments before he answered.

"Yo Ash, what's going on?" Brock asked him.

"I'm at Lt. Surge Hospital with Casey and Macy, can you give us a lift home?" Ash asked.

"The hospital? What happened?" Brock exclaimed.

"I'll fill you in, uh, if you can get us that is." Ash added.

"I'm already on my way." His friend said immediately.

* * *

"Damn-" Brock muttered now that Ash had finished sharing tonight's events with him.

The four of them were seated in Brock's car as they slowly returned home. Casey was in the passenger seat beside Brock while Ash and Macy were in the back seat of the car.

"So uh...are you guys going to be okay?" Brock asked tentatively as he came to a stop at an intersection for a red light. He used this opportunity to peek over his shoulder at Ash who exhaled.

"Yeah, we'll be fine. I just have some stuff to sort out tomorrow." Ash replied.

"Are you sure you got all this?" Brock pressed. Ash didn't bother to respond this time. Brock frowned but decided it was best not to push any further than this. He wasn't sure what was going through Ash's mind right now, so the best choice was to let him sort out his thoughts. "Just remember that you can call me if you're in trouble, alright man?"

"Yeah, I know." Ash said softly to him. The light turned green and they began to roll forward again.

Casey looked back at Ash, waiting for him to make eye contact. It was dark, but Ash couldn't ignore Casey as she stared at him.

"What's up?" He asked Casey.

"I want to know something." Casey began. "Is it true that Cassidy has a husband?"

Ash opened his mouth to speak, his initial thought being to berate Casey for eavesdropping while he had been speaking to Ethan and Anita. He swallowed those words realizing that Casey wanted to keep up with the situation as well. He couldn't fault her for that.

"She _had_ a husband," Ash answered, causing Brock to raise a brow, interested in what was about to be shared. "He's dead."

"What? But...you said he would cover the hospital bills." Casey pointed out, further revealing how much she had been listening to the conversation back at the hospital.

"Okay, what I'm about to tell you, doesn't leave this car. Alright, Casey?" Ash asked her, and she nodded quickly. Ash then set his gaze on Brock. "Same goes for you, Brock."

"Hey, my lips are sealed. You know I can keep a secret." Brock replied, causing Ash to sigh as he gathered his thoughts.

"So before Cassidy had any of us...she was married to a man named Butch. Both of them were Pokemon trainers."

"For real?" Brock exclaimed, tempted to look back at Ash in shock.

"Yeah. She told me they used to work with a group of trainers that did some kind of security at the shipyards downtown years ago." Ash explained. "They used to make a ton of money from those jobs, and they tucked it all away. Finally, when they saved up enough, Cassidy said she wanted to leave everything and just disappear. She and Butch were going to move to Hoenn and retire there with everything they had saved. But Cassidy told me they had one last job to do before they could leave Vermilion City."

"That doesn't sound good." Brock commented. Clearly Cassidy and Butch didn't make it to their 'happily ever after' if Cassidy was still in Vermilion City and Butch was dead.

"It was a disaster. Cassidy wouldn't tell me exactly what happened, but he died. And for whatever reason, she decided to stay in Vermilion City." Ash related to them. "Obviously that isn't the whole story, but you've heard everything I know."

"Man, that's rough." Brock mumbled.

"I didn't even know she was married," Casey noted, astounded that such a fact had been kept secret from her for all this time. It wasn't until now that Casey realized how well Cassidy had dodged this subject the few times she had asked about it. Casey then focused on the subject at hand. "So Ash, how are we going to pay the hospital?"

"Leave that to me." Ash stated firmly. Casey looked at him nervously but didn't question him any further. She had no choice but to count on Ash.

The remainder of the ride passed in silence until they arrived at their home. Once Brock had parked his car, Casey jumped out to unlock the front door leaving Ash and Brock to speak privately.

"Are you _sure_ you're going to be okay?" Brock asked him again as Ash picked up Macy, holding her in one arm as Brock shut the back door for him. It was almost midnight as they stepped onto the staircase in front of Ash's home, but with a streetlight right over them, Brock had no trouble seeing the frown on Ash's face. Ash took a moment to respond, readjusting Macy who had settled onto his shoulder now.

"We'll be fine Brock. Like I said, tomorrow I'll work out everything." Ash assured him.

Brock was impressed with Ash's resilience. He was almost eighteen years old with a ton of responsibility being placed on his shoulders, and he seemed to be more than willing to tackle all this head on.

"Alright, and like I said, I've got your back. If you need anything, let me know." Brock said, giving him a nod.

He gave Ash a smile of reassurance and the two of them parted ways. Ascending the steps and entering his home, Ash shut the door quietly to make sure he didn't wake up Macy. Then he went upstairs, heading straight for Macy's room where he went over to her bed and sat down. Gingerly he laid the small girl down on her bed and placed her covers over her. Macy stirred a bit before snuggling into her bed, and Ash couldn't stop a smile from forming on his face.

Kissing the tips of his index and middle fingers, he touched her forehead with them. Then he took a deep breath and lowered his shoulders before noticing Casey's shadow on the floor. Looking up at the entrance to Macy's bedroom, he saw that the twelve-year-old girl had been watching him.

"A-Ash?" She said softly, and Ash immediately detected the tremble in her voice. Now that they were home, it must have finally donned on Casey that they were alone now. "Wha-What are we going to do?"

Ash rose from the bed and approached Casey, ushering her out into the corridor so that he could shut the door to Macy's room. He only needed one glance at Casey in the hallway light to know that she was becoming overwhelmed. The events of the last two hours had finally hit her.

"If Cassidy's not here, won't _they_ come to take us?" Casey asked him softly. "I don't want to leave you guys."

Ash could _see_ Casey's inner turmoil and confusion. Ash winced as the blood rushed through his eardrums, pounding against them as waves would against the bow of a ship. A pair of white wings seemed to sprout from Casey's back, but they were restrained by several thick black chains. She looked up at him, tears threatening to escape her eyes, and Ash quickly remembered how Cassidy would comfort Casey in her early childhood. He embraced her.

For a few moments they stood in silence, then Ash began to rub her back.

"Don't even think about it Casey." Ash stated. "I won't let that happen. I promise."

* * *

 **Monday, October 31st**

Ash groaned as he slapped his hand down onto the snooze button of his alarm clock. He had been sleeping for _maybe_ five hours before the device on his nightstand began to screech at him. Raising his head from his pillow, he saw that it was five o'clock in the morning. The sun had yet to rise, but Ash would have to start early to make it through this day. Taking a few moments to breathe deeply, he then pushed himself up from his mattress and discovered that Pikachu was looking at him from the floor beside his bed.

"Mornin' Pikachu." He said as he sat upright, reaching down to pat Pikachu on its head.

"Pika-pi?" It asked him as he pulled his hand away.

"I have to be up early today to make breakfast for everyone." Ash said as he stood up, now realizing that he was still dressed in the same clothes that he had been in the night before. He had fallen asleep as soon as he touched the bed last night.

Pulling at the shirt he wore, Ash decided that his first order of business was to take a shower. Motioning for Pikachu to stand beside him, they started a brief stretching routine. Anyone would find it humorous how these two mirrored each other as they stretched. Now feeling looser and wide awake, Ash began to strip off his clothes in preparation for a shower.

"Pi-ka-chu~?" Pikachu asked him.

"Well Cassidy's not here right now, so I'm looking after the house." Ash explained as he now stood with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Pika?!" Pikachu exclaimed, looking at him in shock.

"Yes by _my_ -self." Ash retorted, feigning offense at Pikachu's comment.

"Pikachu! Pika!" It declared as he left his room, Pikachu following him on all fours as they first went down to the kitchen.

"I know Macy can be a handful." Ash stated as he looked down at Pikachu. He lived with Macy just like Pikachu, so he knew exactly what Macy was capable of when she was in the mood for trouble.

"Pi..." Pikachu muttered with a snort, earning a sharp glance from Ash. "Pikachu-pi."

"Uh, yeah I _do_ know." Ash replied as they reached the kitchen. Retrieving the roll of plastic wrap from the top shelf, Ash requested that his small partner aid him in wrapping the bandages on his arm in plastic wrap for his shower. It was an irritating process, but with Pikachu's help, it was much quicker and easier.

Returning to the bathroom upstairs, Ash went over to the tub and turned on the water, leaving it to run for a while so it would warm up. With nothing better to do for the next minute, Ash took a glance at Pikachu who had been watching him closely.

"Pika?" It expressed once again, causing Ash to roll his eyes. Taking off his towel, Ash decided to brush aside what would hopefully be the last of Pikachu's 'warnings.' Leaving his towel on the rack, he stepped into a hot shower and took a few moments to run through his plan for the day.

The first order of business was getting Casey ready for school. After sending her off, he and Macy would be making a trip to the bank. Ash wasn't looking forward to spending time there, but he knew that there was no avoiding this.

-X-X-

 _It was early in the morning, so only Ash and Cassidy had woken up so far. Ash was seated at the wooden table in the kitchen as Cassidy prepared his breakfast._

" _Ash." Cassidy stated, receiving his attention as he looked at her._

" _Hmm?"_

" _You'll be turning seventeen in a couple of days, are you looking forward to it?" She asked him curiously, glancing over her shoulder at Ash for a moment. He made a face as he thought about his answer._

" _Uh, yeah I guess. I think I'll try to get my driver's license this year." Ash commented, and Cassidy gave a nod of approval at the idea._

" _Yeah, that'd be good. I know we don't have a car or anything, but it never hurts to learn." Cassidy said to him._

" _You never know what could happen." Ash pointed out, and Cassidy nodded with agreement._

" _That's the truth...which is why I wanted to talk to you about something." Cassidy said, lowering her tone a bit. Ash could sense that this was a serious subject._

" _What's on your mind?" He asked, leaning on the table._

" _You've had your job for a couple of months now, and I really appreciate that you've been helping around the house with the extra money you have." Cassidy began as she joined him at the table, setting down his plate in front of him. Cassidy then sat down across from him, taking a deep breath as she thought about what she would say next. "I don't know if you've ever bothered to think about this Ash, but have you ever wondered how we afford this place?"_

" _Uh, not really..." He admitted slowly. Ash knew that Cassidy didn't work. She stayed at home and took care of Macy all day. He had known Cassidy for almost ten years now, but this woman could still be an enigma at times. Ash had always assumed that things had worked out well for her and that there was no need for her to work anymore._

" _The reason I'm bringing all this up is that...there are some things I want you to know about me." Cassidy continued as the mood in the room became somber. "I don't work, or rather I can't. An account was set up for me that receives a sum of money_ _that we live off of every month._ _"_

 _Ash nodded. That explained how they made it from month to month without too much trouble._

" _I'm the only one with access to this account, but in the event that something were to happen to me Ash, I want you to know how you can use that money," Cassidy explained to him as she pulled out a card from the pocket of her apron. She set it down in front of him, and after scanning it briefly Ash spotted a logo he recognized. The First Regional Bank of Kanto. "There's an accountant there named Sharon. She'll make the arrangements for you."_

 _Ash raised his eyebrow as he picked up the card to read some of the details that were inscribed on it._

" _So um...what do you mean by 'if something happens to you?'" Ash asked her curiously, looking past the card he held in front of his face to examine Cassidy's expression. She let out a heavy sigh in response._

" _I'm not in good shape Ash. This is just a precaution." She said._

 _Ash felt his chest tighten as she made this statement._

" _What does that mean?" He pressed, but Cassidy waved off his question. She then pointed to his breakfast._

" _Eat, before it gets cold." She said before glancing at the clock. Cassidy then rose from her seat and left the kitchen to wake up Casey for school._

 _Ash watched her closely as she left before his gaze returned to the card. He could feel the weight of the responsibility that had been placed on his shoulders. Cassidy was counting on him to come through for this family in the event that she couldn't._

-X-X-

Stepping out of the shower, Ash immediately began to pull at the plastic wrap around his arm. He hated the feeling of wet plastic and grimaced as he ripped it off. Tossing the plastic in the wastebasket, Ash finished drying himself off and returned to his room with Pikachu following him every step of the way.

Once he was dressed, Ash went back to the kitchen where he thought about what he could make for his sisters. He was glad now more than ever that Cassidy had nagged him non-stop to learn how to cook _something._ Not to mention he had come home with groceries the night before, so his options were open. An omelet and hash browns would certainly please the girls.

Pikachu's eyes widened at the sight of Ash handling himself as he made breakfast. He had set the table for both Macy and Casey, and the latter of whom was shocked when she entered the kitchen and Ash presented her breakfast.

"Did you make this Ash?" Casey exclaimed as she saw her meal.

"O' course I did. Who else would?" Ash retorted.

"Pikachu." Casey said flatly as she took a seat, beginning to snicker as the small Pokemon looked at her incredulously.

"Oh well, aren't you slick? Just for that one, _you_ can go wake up your sister." Ash said, pointing to the exit of the kitchen. Casey made a face at him before she left to go wake up Macy, leaving Ash to finish his preparations for his youngest sister. Pouring a glass of milk for Macy, he placed it beside her plate before hearing a shout from Casey upstairs. Rolling his eyes a bit, Ash went upstairs to check on them and found Casey fighting to pull her sister off her bed despite Macy's protests.

"Casey, that's enough." Ash called out as he stood in the doorway, putting their struggle to a stop. As Casey looked back at him, Ash nodded toward the staircase as a gesture for her to go eat. He would take care of Macy.

"Have fun." Casey said as she left them. Ash then focused on Macy who had climbed back onto her bed, patting the spot where she wanted Ash to sit down.

"Come on Macy, I've got breakfast ready for you." Ash said to her, motioning for her to follow him. In return, he got the question that he had been dreading to answer.

"Where's mommy?"

Ash had to shut his eyes for a moment and take a breath. Macy had been out of the loop last night, sleeping through most of the events. He had spent a bit of time last night thinking of how best to explain this to her, but there was no easy way to tell her that her 'mommy' would be away for...who knows how long.

With a sigh, Ash opened his eyes and approached Macy's bed, taking a seat beside her. Looking into her eyes, Ash bit down on his lower lip as he saw the innocence that occupied them. Casey had been stripped of her innocence long ago, and she had a grasp of the situation they were in. Macy, on the other hand, didn't know any better, and Ash found himself pining over the thought of keeping her in the dark. He didn't want the sparkle in her eyes to begin to fade so early in her life. He didn't have the heart to do such a thing.

"Mommy's not feeling well right now Macy." Ash began. "So I'll be looking after you for now."

"Is she in her room?" Macy asked him, but he shook his head.

"No. You won't be able to see her for now." Ash replied, sticking to simple answers for her. He could sense that a parade of questions was about to begin. Of course, her short attention span was nowhere to be found when he needed it most.

"Why not?"

"She's with the doctors. They're taking care of her until she feels better."

"When's that?"

"I...I don't know yet Macy." Ash admitted slowly, but then he put on a smile and began to poke at her stomach. "But she told me to tell _you-_ that you have better be good until she gets back."

Macy could suppress her giggles as Ash poked at her belly, and then she gave him a small nod. Ash felt relieved as his answers seemed to satisfy Macy. She raised her arms up, a small gesture for him to pick her up. Chuckling a bit as he did so, the two of them went downstairs to enjoy the meal that Ash had prepared for them.

* * *

Casey left for school about twenty minutes later, and once she was gone, Ash quickly understood Pikachu's warnings. Macy was far more than a 'handful' as he had put it.

Trying to pick out something for her to wear involved going through everything she had in her dresser. Ash had never gone through the task of dressing her in the morning, but Pikachu had witnessed it time and again. It was a process as Macy decided what she would wear, but she had to consider all of her options. Then they had to clean up the mess they had made once Macy had selected an outfit.

They had lost more time than Ash had planned on, forcing him to hastily pack a bag of supplies to last them the day before they left. They had just enough time to catch the bus, so with a shout of 'goodbye' to Pikachu, Ash and Macy darted out the house. Their destination was midtown.

Getting there on foot would've taken an hour. Using the bus, it would only take them half an hour and put them right outside of the First Regional Bank of Kanto roughly a half hour after it opened.

Macy marveled at the sight of the tall stone columns at the front of the building.

"What a big house!" Macy exclaimed, earning a laugh from Ash as he led her by the hand.

"This is a bank Macy." Ash explained as the two of them went up the staircase leading to the front entrance. He moved slowly to ensure that she didn't trip on any of the steps as they went up.

"What are we doing here?" Macy asked him.

"I have a meeting with someone here." Ash replied.

"Is that why you didn't go to school?" Her question caused him to freeze momentarily.

"If I went to school don't you think you'd be lonely all day without me Macy?" Ash asked her in return, and she giggled at this.

"Yeah, I like it better when you're at home Ashy." Macy said sweetly, and Ash sighed inwardly with relief. His biggest concern was making sure Casey and Macy were taken care of, but school was a close second. While Ash was already working out a plan to take care of the girls, he still hadn't thought of anything to explain his absence for school, nor did he know how long he would be gone for.

Arriving at the revolving door, Ash and Macy stepped through it and his sister was in awe at the main lobby of the bank. The marble floors glistened and the hanging lights sparkled. It was all so pretty.

Together they approached the large circular desk at the center of the lobby. There were three receptionists present, two of which were preoccupied. Once the third one caught sight of Ash, she beckoned for him to approach.

"Good morning!" She said to him with a smile.

"Hi~!" Macy called out, causing the woman to glance around in search of the voice. Ash bent over to pick her up, allowing Macy to wave to the woman.

"What can I do for you today?" The receptionist asked as she focused on Ash.

"I'm here to speak with an accountant named Sharon when she's available." Ash explained to the receptionist. She raised her lips a bit as she looked down at the computer screen in front of her. To Ash's dismay, she began to shake her head after a few moments and returned her gaze to him.

"I'm sorry, we don't have anyone here that's named Sharon." She replied causing Ash to purse his lips as he took a moment to think.

"...Uh, could it be her last name?" Ash suggested, causing her to look at the screen again.

"No, I'm sorry, no Sharon's." She stated. "Would you like to meet with another accountant?"

Ash took a moment to think. It had been almost a year since Cassidy had told him about this. Perhaps Sharon had left her job here...but maybe it wouldn't matter who he spoke to.

"I guess I don't really have a choice. I'll talk to anyone." Ash said, receiving a nod from the receptionist.

"We have an opening in twenty minutes. You're free to wait in the seating area over there." She said, motioning to a small area near the main entrance.

Ash thanked her kindly for her help, pleased that today was off to a decent start so far.

* * *

"What do you mean you can't?" Ash asked him with a not so pleasant expression.

The nameplate on the desk read Clark, and this middle-aged man was frowning as well. He wasn't a fan of sharing bad news, and obviously, Ash didn't like what he was hearing.

"A few months ago we changed a few policies. In order to access this account, you'll need permission from the owner of the account." Clark explained to him.

"But she told me this card would be enough." Ash insisted, showing him the card he had received from Cassidy.

"Before those changes, this would certainly have been enough." He agreed with Ash after examining the card. "But to ensure that everyone's accounts here are secure, we've taken extra precautions."

"Okay then, so I just have to get permission from her?" Ash clarified, and Clark nodded.

"Look, Ash, your background checks out fine with us. I understand she's your foster mother, and that's the only reason you haven't been granted access. You're not a member of her immediate family." Clark pointed out as he retrieved a folder from his desk drawer. "So all you have to do...is have her sign this consent form."

Sliding a few sheets of paper over his desk to Ash, Clark watched as he picked it up and scanned it briefly.

"...Alright." Ash said softly. He wasn't sure what Cassidy's condition was, but hopefully, this trip to the hospital would have an answer he wanted to hear.

"Once you have her sign that, just bring it back and we'll be happy to make the arrangements for you." Clark explained, giving Ash a smile.

"Thanks for your help," Ash said before glancing at Macy who was seated next to him in her own chair. She was working on a page in her coloring book that Ash had brought for her, but she had managed to drop a number of crayons on the floor. "Come on Macy, it's time to go."

Ash rose from his seat to begin collecting some of the crayons that she had dropped. Macy set her book down on the seat and began to help him, allowing Ash to take a glance at the page she had coloring. The object she had been working was a decorated cake, but Macy had gone outside of the lines in several places.

"Sheesh Macy, try to stay in the lines next time, okay." Ash said to her.

"O-kay." She replied once they had finished collecting her items. Placing everything back in his backpack, Ash then took Macy by the hand, thanked Clark one last time, and went on his way. "Where are we going now?"

"To the doctors now." Ash replied.

"To see mommy?" She asked him hopefully.

"We'll see."

* * *

The trip to Lt. Surge Memorial Hospital was another hour spent on the bus going over the east side of Vermilion City along with more bus fare. Fortunately, Ash didn't have to pay for Macy so he couldn't really complain about it, although his day was passing faster than he wanted it to. It was already eleven o'clock and still at least another hour long bus ride to look forward.

With a sigh, he glanced down at his phone. It had been fifteen minutes since he had spoken to the man at the front desk, requesting to meet with Ethan. Rather than count the seconds as they passed, Ash decided that he needed to distract himself. Looking down at Macy who sitting on the floor beside the lowered table in front of him, she was busy with another picture in her coloring book. Ash could only snort as she went outside of the lines _again_.

"You're ignoring the lines again Macy," Ash noted with a small laugh as he dropped down next to her. "Here let me show you."

"Hey!" Macy exclaimed as Ash placed his finger on the book and pulled it closer to himself. Ash blew a raspberry at her, a gesture which Macy returned immediately. There was a man seated in the waiting area with them, and he couldn't help but laugh softly at their exchange.

"Look at this Macy," Ash said, motioning for her to watch as he took a crayon and filled in the area of the picture accordingly. "That's how you stay in the lines. Doesn't that look better?"

"But your drawings don't have any lines to follow." Macy reasoned with him, causing Ash to raise his brow at her attentiveness. "I wanna draw like you."

"Then you have to practice first kiddo. Once you get good at this, I'll give you some blank paper with no lines to follow." Ash stated, and she beamed at him. Returning her book, Ash watched as she began to color again, and in no time at all, she was coloring all over the place with no concern for the directions he had just given her. Rolling his eyes with a laugh, Ash then noticed that a man in a white lab coat had approached the waiting area. Ash recognized him from the night before, the cardiologist. "I'll be right back Macy."

Rising to his feet, Ash approached Ethan who motioned for them to take some distance to speak privately.

"It's good to see you again, we were getting ready to contact you." Ethan noted with a small gesture to Ash.

"Did you even go home last night?" Ash asked him curiously.

"Oh no, I worked overnight. I'm here until noon so I have another hour or so before I can head home." Ethan explained before taking a deep breath. "So I have an update for you."

"How is she?" Ash inquired, tackling the subject with no hesitation.

"She's..." Ethan shook his head slightly. "She's not doing well Ash. Like I said last night, the lack of proper blood circulation sent her into a coma last night. We've already begun the appropriate treatment to maintain her vital systems, but we don't have a time table on when she'll wake up."

Ash blinked a few times, digesting this new information.

In some ways, it was better than what he had been told last night. Cassidy wasn't dead. That bolstered his spirit somewhat...but they were dealing with the second worst case scenario. She was in a coma, and no one had any clue when or _if_ she would wake up.

"I know this is a lot to grasp Ash, so please don't let it overwhelm you. Cassidy is receiving the best care available here." Ethan assured him. "So have a seat, Anita would also like to speak with you."

Returning to his seat, Ash dropped down into it a straight expression. His mind was filled with questions. What else was in store for Cassidy? First, she had a heart attack, now a coma. What was in store for them? If Cassidy was stuck here, he would have to take care of the girls. Could he do that by himself? His head was swirling and he didn't really know what to do anymore.

If Cassidy was in a coma, there was no way she could sign the consent form he needed, and without that, they wouldn't have Cassidy's money. Tomorrow was the start of a new month, which meant there would be a list of bills to play by the end of the week. Ash had his own sum of money saved up, which he was certain could cover the expenses until she awakened, but when would that be?

With a sigh, Ash pushed those thoughts away. He owed Cassidy so much that he couldn't spare any expense taking care of the girls. He would find a way to manage, no matter the cost to himself.

"Ash, it's good to see you again so soon."

Ash looked up and spotted Anita, the same woman from last night. She must have worked overnight like Ethan.

"Uh, likewise," Ash said as he rose to his feet. Anita invited him out of the waiting area to speak to him privately as Ethan had. "What can I do for you?"

"We've estimated the costs for Cassidy's treatment, and I thought you might need this information for when you're contacting her husband. This is only a copy so don't worry if you lose it." Anita explained as she opened the manila folder she held. Pulling out a sheet of paper for Ash, she passed it for him to read its contents.

It didn't take him long to reach the bottom of the page where the number he feared most was located. His eyes widened at the sight of it before he looked up at Anita.

"This is just an estimation. As I'm sure Ethan told you, there's no time table for when she will wake up. So the billing department has provided you with the costs for one month as an example. This is subject to change of course, based on when she wakes up." Anita explained to him as she pointed out just how many resources had been dedicated to Cassidy. "We're all hoping for the best Ash, and I can promise you that Cassidy will be well taken care of here."

Anita gave him a nod of reassurance and proceeded to leave him in a similar fashion to Ethan. With a sigh, Ash had to remind himself that they barely knew him. They weren't here to make promises that would make him feel better. Their job was to do what they can and often times live with the consequences.

Glancing back down at the bill in his hands, Ash shook his head with a ghastly expression.

How would he pay for something like this?

One month alone could reach a cost of well over forty thousand dollars.

With a daily cost of fifteen hundred dollars piling up constantly, he would be up to his neck in debt before he knew it.

Going back to his seat near Macy, Ash sat down and placed his elbow on the arm of the chair and a hand beneath his chin. He began to think deeply about how best to handle this.

For all of the grief he had been given about working with the Red Skulls, the money he had gotten from them was going to carry them through this. The last two months of working with them he had collected a total of eighteen thousand dollars, none of which he had touched since obtaining it. He had been planning on saving that money for a rainy day, but he found himself standing in a torrential downpour.

With that money, he could make a big payment to get a head start on what could possibly evolve into a massive bill, and he could use what remained to cover some of the other bills as well. Not to mention the rent money they owed to Mr. Cheeves. It was going to be rough, but he would have enough to pull them through a month or two. What they would do after that...was still to be determined.

Pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh of irritation, Ash now had one more place to visit before they could head home.

His job.

* * *

"Come on Wallace, are you sure that you can't give me an extra shift or two. I could really use the money." Ash was practically begging his boss as he stood in the man's office. Wallace's office was small and insignificant in comparison to the rest of the store he ran, but he found it cozy nonetheless.

Glancing at one of his favorite young employees, Wallace sighed in response. He had already given Ash an answer, but it was clear that this wouldn't suffice for the young man.

"Ash, in case you forgot, there are rules about having students, such as yourself, work. They're on the working papers _you_ gave me." Wallace reminded him.

"Can we do something off the books then?" Ash suggested causing Wallace to deadpan.

"Ash I want to help you, believe me, I do. But there's only so much I can do for you while you're still considered a minor." Wallace explained. "You're already pushing the limit of how many hours you can work per week, so there is nothing else I can do for you."

Ash groaned inwardly, but he had a feeling going into this discussion that Wallace wouldn't budge. He had his own job to think about, and Ash couldn't expect him to put his own job in jeopardy for Ash's sake.

"Yeah yeah," Ash muttered as he turned to leave the office. "Thanks anyway."

Stepping out of Wallace's small sanctuary, Ash found Macy exactly where he left her under the watchful eye of one of his co-workers.

"Macy come on, let's get going." Ash called out to her. She had been talking animatedly to the older woman that Ash worked with occasionally, but upon hearing Ash's call Macy gave her a wave and dashed over to her brother. Taking hold of Ash's hand, Macy matched Ash's walking pace as they went on their way.

Together they made their way to the main entrance of the store but Ash was lost in his thoughts. What was he going to do? At every turn today there was bad news for him. The only positive he could draw so far was that they were only a few blocks away from home, so at the very least he didn't have to spend any more money on another bus ride.

The determination that had bolstered him at the beginning of the day was long gone. Uneasiness filled his stomach, and uncertainty plagued his mind. How was he going to take care of the girls and himself? The money he currently had would only take them so far, maybe a month or two. Once those funds ran dry there was no telling what he would have to do.

Working more was off the table. Cassidy's money was off the table. So what could he do?!

"Ashy!" Macy called out to him, snapping him out of his thoughts. She was tugging at his arm in an attempt to slow him down, pointing at the park across the street. "I wanna go play!"

It took a moment for Ash to realize that they were only a block away from their home. This was the park Macy came to almost daily, so of course, she would want to stop at it. Macy had been pretty good all day considering the fact that he had dragged her all over Vermilion City. A little reward was appropriate, not to mention it would give him some time to sit down and think while she was entertained.

"Okay Macy, but let's just go home first. I want to check on Pikachu and then we'll come back." Ash explained to her. "How does that sound?"

"Come on, let's go let's go!" Macy declared as she began to pull on his arm, leading him back to their house at a brisk pace. Obviously, she wanted things to happen quickly.

Arriving at their front door, Ash saw that a white envelope had been tucked into the door frame. Frowning a bit at the sight of it, Ash snatched it and unlocked the front door so that they could go inside.

"I need a few minutes Macy." Ash said to her. She remained by the front door while he went to the kitchen, shouting to Pikachu that he had come back home. Entering the kitchen, Ash set his bag on the table and looked down at the envelope to pass the time before Pikachu scampered in.

Opening up the envelope, Ash discovered that it was a note from Mr. Cheeves, their neighbor and also the man that they rented this house from. Without much thought, Ash already knew what this note would be discussing – rent money. The rent was insignificant in comparison to the hospital bill Ash had seen earlier, but it was money lost regardless of how he spun it.

The phone began to ring suddenly, gaining Ash's attention as he approached it. Reading the caller identification, Ash saw that it was his school. His eyes widened for a moment as he thought back to Macy's question this morning.

" _Is that why you didn't go to school?"_

Things had changed now. He had thought that he would miss a few days of school to watch the girls until Cassidy returned. Now he might have been missing school indefinitely...

Letting the call go to voicemail, Ash waited to see if they would leave a message for them. Soon enough the phone stopped ringing, and the caller began to leave a message which Ash played through the speaker.

"Hello, this is the attendance office from North Vermilion High School. I'm calling to inform you that your son, Ash Ketchum, didn't attend school today. He already has an unexcused absence, and if he continues to receive them it can result in a suspension." The woman explained. "I hope we can get into contact to discuss this. The number to the main office is..."

Ash slapped his hand down onto the counter, startling Pikachu who had been standing on the counter beside the phone. Looking up at its trainer, Pikachu could see that Ash was disgruntled. In fact, it had never seen such an expression on Ash's face. Ash had been upset before, but this time it was different. The desperation in his eyes, he was overwhelmed.

"Pi-ka?" Pikachu asked him tentatively.

"I don't know...I don't know what I'm supposed to do Pikachu." Ash admitted, lowering his head.

He _thought_ that he could handle everything...that he could take care of the girls, cover the bills, care for the house...be an adult.

"I don't know how Cassidy does this day in and day out." He continued, shaking his head slowly. This was only his first taste of it, and it was almost surreal how much stuff he had to juggle. It felt like the whole world had turned against him, doing everything possible to drag him down.

"Ashy!" Macy called him from the doorway, forcing Ash to push all of his thoughts to the back of his mind. She was still waiting for him.

With a sigh, Ash put his house keys back into his pocket, gave Pikachu a pat on the head and promised it that he was alright. The concern in Pikachu's eyes confirmed that his Pokemon thought otherwise, but Ash turned and left the kitchen to take Macy out.

* * *

Seated alone on a park bench, Ash watched Macy from afar as she darted around the playground with some of the other kids that were too young to start school.

Leaning back into the bench, Ash breathed out a deep sigh as he tried to empty his head. Rather than let his mind drift to his current batch of problems, he focused on the various sounds around him. The rustle of the leaves as the breeze passed through. The shouts of the children as they chased one another. The blare of a car horn as the traffic on the road began to increase.

The chirp of...a Pidgey?

Looking to his right, Ash found that one of the small bird Pokemon was perched on the bench beside him. When he made eye contact with it, the Pidgey began to tilt its head from one side to the other, closely examining him.

"Hey Pidgey, how are ya?" Ash asked it, extending his hand toward the Pokemon as an invitation for it to sit with him. Much to Ash's surprise, it jumped into his open hand and got comfortable, tweeting softly as it did so. "It must be nice in Vermilion City huh Pidgey? It's always warm here so you never have to leave.

Pidgey took a moment to readjust itself within Ash's palm before it chirped in response.

"I wish things were as simple for me as they are for you." Ash commented with a small smile, glancing down at the bird Pokemon. The Pidgey didn't have much to think about. Eat, sleep, migrate to warmer weather. It was so easy for them...the complete opposite of his life.

He still couldn't believe how complex life could be upon reaching adulthood. Taking care of people, accounting for expenses...there was so much to keep track of yet the adults he knew made it all look so simple.

Suddenly his attention was drawn to another pair of Pidgeys that had landed on the bench alongside him. They rustled their feathers a bit before settling down next to Ash who stared at them with a raised brow. Something was amiss here, but Ash soon realized why this was happening. The bird lady was approaching him along with her flock of Pidgey.

"May I?" She asked in a low voice, motioning to the bench. Ash gave her a nod, and she took a seat next to him while the Pidgey crowded around them. There had to be at least twenty of them, but Ash was impressed with how docile they were. They followed the bird lady without a command and became silent as she began to converse with him. "They've been watching you."

"Huh?" Ash said, giving her an odd look.

"The Pidgey." She stated, causing Ash to take a glance at the Pokemon that surrounded him. Each and every one of them was staring at him.

"What for?" He asked slowly.

"A lot of people don't give Pokemon enough credit. I know you respect them to some degree, but they are more empathetic than you or even I know about." She related to him. "They sensed how...anxious you are."

Ash's mouth hung open for a few moments. This was something he knew first hand through his experience with Pikachu. However, it never occurred to him that Pokemon could possess that level of empathy with total strangers.

"Wait...can you...understand them?" Ash inquired as he motioned to the Pidgey.

"To an extent." She tilted her head saying this, and some of the Pidgey mirrored her action.

"Like, to what extent?" Ash pressed.

"I don't understand them based off of their words, but rather their actions." She explained to Ash who nodded his head. "I can almost...feel, what they feel."

"So then, through the Pidgey you felt what I was feeling?" Ash asked her, and she gave a nod. "Well, that's an invasion of privacy."

The bird lady snorted at his comment, placing a hand over her mouth as she giggled for a moment.

"The Pidgey recognize you too." She added after a few moments. "Not everyone is kind enough to not interrupt us as I'm feeding them."

Ash could recall seeing a number of people walk right through the Pidgey as the bird lady was feeding them on different occasions. The lack of respect and kindness must have been infuriating. Ash had always been careful to make sure that he didn't bother them, and he had instructed Casey and Macy to do the same.

"Since you're concerned about your privacy, I won't press too far into your concerns." The bird lady said, motioning to him. Ash felt a bit guilty now since he wasn't serious about that comment.

"Oh no, I was just kidding when I said that," Ash said with a small chuckle. This was the first time he had really spoken with the bird lady, but her understanding of the Pidgey had already left a strong impression on him. He didn't mind being transparent with this woman. "I'll admit that I have a lot of my plate right now. It feels like I'm going to be crushed underneath all of it."

A brief silence set in as the bird lay seemed to be taking the time to think of a proper response.

"You know...there was a poem written about the Pidgey a long time ago. I heard it in passing many years ago, so I've forgotten a good bit of it. But there is one stanza that I'll never forget." She explained, causing Ash to straighten up. "It went like this -"

 _'The caged bird sings,_

 _with its heart set ablaze,_

 _of things now lost,_

 _but still in its gaze,_

 _and its voice is carried,_

 _on the winds of change,_

 _for the caged bird,_

 _sings of freedom.'_

Ash sat in silence now, repeating the words for himself a second time. The bird lady remained silent, allowing him some time to impress these words upon his mind.

"I know life can be overwhelming at times...but even when we feel as though we are being dragged down, sometimes the best thing we can do is think like the Pidgey. Keep everything simple, take it one day at a time, and sing when you're feeling low." The bird lady expressed with a warm smile. Ash couldn't help but smile at her suggestion.

Think like the Pidgey.

He had just been telling the Pidgey in his hand that he wished things could be simpler. Today had been rough, but tomorrow was a new day. The Pidgey didn't let anyone or anything dictate how they lived from day to day. Was that was he had to do?

"To receive the interest of the Pidgey means your heart is pure. I firmly believe that as well." The bird lady continued, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. "I hope that you overcome whatever it is that is bothering you, because I do want to see the day that you spread those _gorgeous_ wings of yours."

Ash furrowed his brow as he looked toward her. Trying to make eye contact, Ash could see that her gaze was firmly fixated on his back, marveling at the sight of something. What was she looking at? Then their eyes met and she smiled at him.

"Come on Pidgey, let's not disturb him any longer." She said, inviting the Pokemon to follow her as she rose up from the bench. She bowed slightly to Ash and then turned to leave, the Pidgey hopping behind her. Watching as she left, Ash gasped softly as a pair of wings sprouted from her back, but they were unlike any other pair Ash had seen before. The feathers were scarlet tipped!

Only one of her wings stretched out, while the other appeared to be withered, being kept firmly folded against her back for safety.

The bird lady stopped walking for a moment, glancing over her should at Ash one more time. They made eye contact again, and she smiled a bit as her wings faded away. Then she and the Pidgey continued on their way.

Ash blinked several times, and then he raised his free hand to rub each of his eyes. Once he was certain his vision was fine, he focused on the Pidgey in his hand who was looking in the direction the bird lady had gone.

"Do you want to join them Pidgey?" Ash asked it, and Pidgey chirped in response. He raised his hand slightly, allowing Pidgey to take flight and flutter back over to the rest of the flock.

 _'...The caged bird, sings of freedom.'_

* * *

 **A/N**

So first and foremost, I have to give credit where credit is due.

First goes to Miss Maya Angelou for her poem 'Caged Bird.' I drew a lot of inspiration from this poem and made a brief adaptation of the last stanza of it in this chapter. All credit goes to Maya Angelou though, I own nothing!

The next shout out goes to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt and his usual work. This chapter had a lot of things for us to discuss, and he helped me fine tune a lot of different points to prepare for the upcoming chapters. Not only that but his medical know-how also helped me straighten out some of the finer details. Much thanks for your support man!

This chapter was pretty intense to write. There was a lot of different emotions I was trying to capture, and I'm hoping that they came across.

So we've now reached part three of this five-part update spree. I'll see you all at the next update and I hope you've enjoyed everything you're reading so far.


	14. Lean On Me

**Chapter 14**

* * *

 **Tuesday, November 1st**

Seated at the kitchen table, Casey found herself wide awake as she observed Ash. He was even more chipper than he was the day before as he prepared their breakfast. Ash was humming and grooving as he worked around the counter, quickly putting together a plate for each of his sisters.

"Alright, who's ready to eat?" Ash asked as he picked up a plate in each hand, turning to approach the table.

"I am!" Macy declared, kicking her feet in anticipation. Ash chuckled as he approached them, setting down the plates in front of them which caused Casey to snort at the sight of her breakfast.

"I might have been wrong about yesterday being a fluke Ash, maybe you _can_ cook." Casey noted, earning a narrow glance from Ash.

"I'll have you know that Cassidy was the one who taught me how to cook. Any stab you take at my cooking is a stab at Cassidy's." Ash pointed out as he cut up Macy's omelet before returning her fork. "Now eat up. Your bus will be here in fifteen minutes."

Casey stuck out her tongue at him before she began to eat. Ash then fixed himself a plate and took the third seat the table, joining the girls as they ate. Casey had an appetite that was almost on par with Ash's, allowing her to devour her breakfast before she said a quick goodbye. Dashing out the kitchen to collect her bag and meet the bus, Casey made it to the front door where she found someone waiting for her outside.

Ash perked up a bit at the sound of Casey speaking with someone.

"Ash! Mr. Cheeves is here!" Casey shouted, and this caused him to pause mid chew. Mr. Cheeves? Then he remember that today was the first day of the month. Mr. Cheeves was here for the rent.

Swallowing as he rose from his seat, Ash went out to the front door where the older man was waiting for him. He smiled warmly at Ash who greeted him with a small wave.

"Morning Mr. Cheeves."

"Good morning Ash, beautiful day isn't it?" He asked Ash who nodded. "I heard there was an ambulance here the other day, is everything alright?"

"Oh yeah, everything is just fine." Ash said, giving the man a thumbs up.

"I see." He said before taking a deep breath. "Well I'd like to speak with Cassidy if she's available."

Ash shook his head in response.

"Not at the moment. She hasn't been feeling well the last few days but she told me you'd be dropping by this morning for the rent right?" Ash asked him and Mr. Cheeves confirmed with a nod. "She left me the money for you. I'll be right back with it."

"That's Cassidy for you, always thinking ahead." Mr. Cheeves pointed out with a smile which caused Ash to grin in return. Cassidy's forethought was to be praised.

Ash invited Mr. Cheeves to wait in the living room while he went upstairs to retrieve the rent money. His footsteps in the upstairs walkway caused Pikachu to perk up in its little bed, and it followed him into his room. It watched as Ash knelt down beside his bed, reaching underneath it to pull out the gray duffle bag that had been hidden away. The two of them remained silent as Ash unzipped the bag which revealed its contents.

Thousands of dollars were neatly bound together within it, along with well over thirty Potions. Seeing all of this reminded Pikachu of what they had gone through the night Ash had received this bag.

They had suffered a one sided beating from a gang of trainers that belonged to the White Lotus.

Ash sighed deeply as he went through a bundle of bills, counting out twenty-two hundred dollars for Mr. Cheeves.

"You know Pikachu, I was actually saving this money to get you a Pokeball, but I'm going to have to put that on hold for now." Ash commented as he glanced at Pikachu. It gave him a frown in return.

"Pika." It said with disdain.

"Well I have to get you one Pikachu." Ash replied. "I can't go around town with you in my backpack forever. Besides, I thought you hated hiding in my backpack."

"Pi-ka. Pikapi." Pikachu retorted as it stood up and crossed its arms.

"You can't be serious Pikachu. You're always complaining about my backpack." Ash pointed out, causing Pikachu to protest indignantly. "You can say what you want Pikachu, but I'm getting you a Pokeball as soon as I can. End of story."

Pikachu blew a raspberry at him before it scampered out of the room, leaving him to count the money one final time. Completing this task, Ash zipped up the duffle bag and tucked it underneath his bed again. On his way back to the living room, Ash made a brief stop at the hallway closet to get an envelope to put the money inside of.

"Here you go Mr. Cheeves." Ash said as he approached the man, placing the envelope in his hands. Mr. Cheeves accepted it kindly, and opened it up to check its contents. Ash could see the confusion in his expression as he looked at the money.

"Oh, you're paying in cash this time?" He asked, looking up at Ash.

"Is that a problem?" Ash asked him in return, keeping his tone neutral.

"No no at all. I'm just accustomed to Cassidy paying with a check." Mr. Cheeves explained.

"Well we're paying two month's worth this time, that's why it's in cash." Ash replied, earning a nod from the gentleman.

"Thank you very much Ash. Send my regards to Cassidy."

"Will do." Ash said as Mr. Cheeves slowly rose from the sofa. Walking Mr. Cheeves to the door, Ash waved as he left before shutting the door. He then returned to the kitchen where he found Pikachu on the table picking at his breakfast, and Macy giggling as she watched.

"Hey, back off you little moocher!" Ash yapped at Pikachu who darted off the table. Taking a seat beside Macy, the two of them finished their breakfast with some small talk of Macy's plans for the day. Her plan mainly involved watching TV and coloring like she had the day before, and Ash was completely fine with that. She would be busy for a while, which would afford him some time to make a call.

Finishing their breakfast, Ash collected their plates and cleaned them off in the sink. Meanwhile, Macy had gone to her room to retrieve her coloring book and crayons. Once she had collected these items, she returned to the living room to begin her own project as she waited for Ash.

Joining his sister in the living room, Ash took a moment to observe her laying on the floor with the book in front of her, scribbling away at a new page. She glanced back at him, and Ash raised his brow momentarily at him. She grinned a bit before looking at her book, leaving Ash to take a seat on the couch and take out his phone. He pulled up Brock in his contact list and gave him a call.

"Ash, what are you calling so early for?" Brock asked over all of the background noise at his job. The shouts of other men along with the repetitive beeping from a truck that was driving in reverse.

"Sorry man, I know you're at work but I just had to ask you a few things." Ash replied.

"It's not a big deal, I haven't gone on break yet so this will give me an excuse to." Brock responded with a chuckle. "Just give me a minute, I gotta let the guys know I'm stepping away. "

Ash could hear Brock begin to call out to someone that he would be taking his break. They exchanged some words for a bit before Brock brought the phone back to his ear to speak with Ash.

"So what's going on?" Brock inquired as he took some distance from his work, the background noise fading away as he did so.

"I went back to the hospital yesterday." Ash began, and Brock didn't waste a moment jumping into the subject.

"How's Cassidy doing?" He interjected, and he could quickly assumed that things weren't going well since Ash paused before answering.

"She's in a coma now." Ash stated, and he could hear Brock sigh deeply.

"So...what are you going to do?"

"Same thing I said Sunday. I can handle this myself." Ash insisted. "My biggest problem right now is the hospital bill. Cassidy doesn't have insurance."

"How much is it?"

"We're looking at forty thousand as the total at the end of this month." Ash stated, causing Brock to whistle over the phone.

"How are you going to get that?" Brock asked, analyzing the situation.

"Well I'm sitting on eighteen thousand dollars right now...actually I just paid two month's rent so it's down to sixteen." Ash went on. "I'll figure out how to get the money, but I just wanted to ask you something. I paid my landlord in cash and he seemed a little bothered by it. That got me thinking, a hospital wouldn't accept ten grand in cash, would they?"

There was silence in response as Brock mulled over the question. Money is money. There was no way the hospital would turn down the money from him...but at the same time there all sorts of questions they might have. Like, why does a seventeen year old boy have such a large sum of cash on hand?

"They would take it Ash, it's money after all." Brock said and Ash nodded to himself. "That's not to say that no one will be suspicious. It'd be pretty weird for you to show up with all of that money at the hospital."

"So what are you saying?" Ash asked him with a small frown. Things were getting complicated for no reason. They wanted money, and he had it. Why would it be weird that he wanted to pay them the debt they owed?

"Pay it in chunks." Brock stated. "Don't do it all at once. It'll look a little less suspicious if you paid out a bill like this over time."

"Oh, I understand what you mean." Ash said, stroking his chin with his free hand.

"I'll just give you a heads up Ash, I think it'd be smart to open a bank account at some point in the future." Brock added, but before he could explain why there was some chatter in the background. Ash could hear Brock begin to speak with someone else before groaning audibly. "Ash I gotta go for now."

"Real quick though Brock, can you watch Macy and Casey for me later today?" Ash asked quickly.

"Uhh, what time?"

"I'm working from three to eight today." Ash answered.

"Yeah, that's no problem my man."

"Awesome, I owe you one. It looks like I'll see you later then."

Ending his call with Brock, Ash returned his focus to Macy whose attention was still wrapped up in her coloring book. She was kicking her feet as she hummed softly, and Ash couldn't help but grow jealous of her ignorance. Macy had no idea what was taking place around her, and Ash wished that he could just ignore it all well. With a brief snort, Ash threw that thought of his head as he leaned over to see how Macy was doing.

"Macy~" Ash began in a nasally voice, receiving her attention. "You went out of the lines again."

"It looks better like this." She replied, causing Ash to laugh as he got off the couch to join her on the floor.

"So Macy, do you remember Brock?" Ash asked her as she put down her crayons.

"Ummm, no I don't think so." She replied after some thought. Ash knew that she had met Brock on a few occasions, but their exchanges had been very short. Perhaps tonight would be a chance for Brock to leave a lasting impression on her.

"Well he's going to be watching you and Casey tonight while I'm at work." Ash revealed to her. "Brock is really funny, I think you'll like him. But you have to promise me that you'll be good for him, okay?"

"O-kay." She replied with a nod.

"Good, now let me show you how this is done." Ash replied as he took a pair of crayons along with Macy's book.

* * *

Standing in one of the aisles within the craft store he worked at, Ash stared blankly at one of the shelves, his mind lost in the events that took place earlier today.

His return trip to the hospital had come with some positive results. Under Brock's direction, Ash decided to cover the initial bill to the hospital in three payments. Today he dropped off the first portion of that, three thousand dollars.

Meeting with Anita in the billing department again, Ash was happy to place this money directly in her hands. After counting what she had received from Ash, Anita openly admitted that she hadn't been expecting him to return so quickly. Ash responded by sharing that Cassidy would kill him for procrastinating, especially if money is involved.

He would return later this week with another three thousand dollars and keep chipping away at this bill. As he left the hospital earlier, Ash found it hard to believe that he had already spent roughly a third of the eighteen thousand dollars he had been holding onto in just _two days_. He was down to just under thirteen thousand, most of which was dedicated to covering the hospital bill depending on how long Cassidy remained there.

His day dragged from there as he went back home with Macy to prepare for work. Once again his school had called to let Cassidy know that he hadn't come in again. Ash ignored the message as it played, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to avoid this forever. Sooner or later he would have to decide whether he would attend school or not.

For the most part, this subject had dominated his thoughts while he was at work.

School was his biggest obstacle at the moment. As much as Cassidy reinforced the importance of education, school was nothing but a thorn in his side now. As long as he was a student, there was a limit to how much he would work during the week, and he needed to work more _now_. How else was he going to take care of Casey and Macy?

If he dropped out of school, he could find a day-care for Macy and start working at the craft store full-time. But would this be enough money for him to take care of everything? Not to mention the hospital bill. He needed to make more money than this.

He needed a better job...

But he was only seventeen, who was going to offer him a well-paying job?

" _Don't forget what I said now. The Red Skulls are always looking for good trainers. My boss would have the final say, but if I put in a good word for you I'm sure you'll get in."_

Hun, a member of the Red Skulls, had told him this just two days ago.

The Red Skulls had paid him handsomely each time he helped them. If he had done a few more jobs for them and received the same rate of pay, it wouldn't be a problem to cover their expenses. In fact, things would be easier if he worked with them more often.

So was this the best decision for him?

Ash blinked a few times, hearing someone snap their fingers beside his ear.

"Ash?" Wallace repeated, finally receiving his attention.

"Oh uh, sorry." Ash said with a chuckle, realizing that he had been staring off into space.

"Is everything alright Ash?" Wallace asked him as he motioned for Ash to follow him. Together they made their way to the back of the store where Wallace's office was located.

"Mmm, yeah." Ash replied slowly, but Wallace was too perceptive to let this slide.

"Are you sure?" He pressed, and Ash pursed his lips. "You didn't stop by to pick up your paycheck last Friday, and yesterday it slipped my mind until after you had left."

"Oh shoot, I completely forgot too." Ash exclaimed. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about his paycheck, but with the weekend he just had, he could see how he had managed to forget.

Entering Wallace's office, Ash glanced at the clock on his desk and noticed that he only had about ten minutes left in his shift. Business was slow from the afternoon into the night, so Ash had spent almost all of this time in his thoughts. In fact he could hardly remember what he had done during his shift. Shaking his head a bit, Ash focused since he was certain that Wallace wanted to speak with him.

"Here ya go." Wallace said as he extended Ash's check toward him.

"Thanks." Ash said as he accepted the envelope and tucked it into his back pocket.

"So what's going on right now?" Wallace asked him as he went to the entrance of his office and shut the door. "You've been completely distracted today. Does this have anything to do with our discussion from yesterday?"

Ash sighed audibly and he took a moment to appreciate Wallace's concern for him.

"My mom is in the hospital." Ash began. He had never gone over the finer details of his personal life with Wallace. "I'm just trying to figure out how to take care of my sisters until she gets out."

Wallace remained silent for a moment, carefully considering what he would say next. Ash's work ethic was second to none. When he came to work, he gave it one hundred and ten percent. So with how out of it Ash seemed to be, Wallace could tell that this situation weighed heavily on his mind.

"I'm really sorry to hear that Ash. I hope everything works out for your mom." Wallace began. "I don't know if you've forgotten, but you have some vacation time saved up. Feel free to use it right now if you have to. Believe me, things will be just fine here if you take some time to yourself."

"Of course it will. You're running this place after all." Ash noted with a grin.

"Thanks." Wallace said with a nod. "But don't shrug off what I told you. If you need a day off don't hesitate to ask."

"Don't worry about it." Ash insisted, waving off his comment. "And thanks for checking on me, I really appreciate it."

Wallace gave Ash a nod as the young man left his office, heading to the break room to retrieve his belongings. As he pulled his backpack out of the locker, Ash felt his phone buzz within his pants pocket. Taking out the device, he saw that he had a message from Brock. He was waiting outside of the store.

'Aren't you supposed to be with the girls?' Ash responded as he threw his backpack over his shoulder and left the break room.

'I've got someone watching them. I thought you might want a lift back home.' Brock replied causing him to shrug his shoulders. He only lived a few blocks away from the craft store so the walk wasn't long at all, but he wouldn't make a big deal out of this. Making his way to the front of the store, Ash quickly clocked out to end his shift and stopped at one of the cashiers to cash his check. It wasn't much, one hundred and twelve dollars.

'Oof, that sucks.' Ash said to himself as he signed the check and passed it to the cashier. She quickly counted out the bills for him, which he tucked into his wallet. Giving her a wave as she left, Ash stepped out of the store and found Brock's car waiting outside the main entrance, just as he said. The base was blasting, and he could see Brock swinging his head to the music in the front seat which caused Ash to laugh openly.

Arriving at the passenger door, Ash opened up the door and as soon as he entered he places his hand on the volume knob.

"Geez Brock, why do you have to have this so loud?" Ash asked now that he could hear himself speak.

"Hey man, where's the fun in listening to music quietly?" Brock asked him in return. Ash snorted in response and motioned for Brock to start driving. Taking them out of the parking lot, Brock swung out onto the main road but Ash immediately noticed that they were heading in the opposite direction of his home.

"Where are we going?" Ash asked him.

"I just thought we'd take a little detour." Brock replied casually.

"O-kay." Ash said before leaning into his seat. Then another thought occurred to him. "So who's watching Casey and Macy?"

"Trevor wanted to talk to me so he stopped by not too long ago. I asked him to watch them while I picked you up." Brock explained, and Ash nodded. Brock shot him a quick glance as they came to a stop at a red light. "So Ash..."

"Yeah?"

"What's your plan?"

"Plan for what?"

"Don't be like that Ash." Brock stated knowingly. "You know what I'm talking about. What are you going to do with the girls if Cassidy doesn't wake up soon? There's no way you can take care of them on your own."

"What makes you say that?" Ash asked him in return, almost offended. Brock sighed in response, realizing that this was a touchy subject for Ash.

"Ash, I'm not doubting you or anything. But..." Brock paused, mulling of his thoughts briefly. Then he nodded to himself as he decided to explain himself fully. "-Okay, when my parents had me they were young, _way_ too young. They thought they could handle it, and boy did that blow up in their face. In the end they had to live with my mom's parents until they could manage on their own because kids are expensive."

"That's no secret to me Brock." Ash retorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"So how do you plan to keep up with everything?" Brock asked again, causing Ash to look out of the passenger window to conceal his expression from Brock.

"I was thinking about dropping out of school."

An almost awkward silence set in, and Ash could tell that Brock was processing this idea. Ash had expected as much from his close friend. Even though Brock had his back, he knew that Brock wouldn't approve of this.

"Now before you tell me this is a bad idea, listen to this." Ash interjected before Brock could voice his concerns. "Last weekend when I worked with the Red Skulls, the guy I was with told me that they're looking for more trainers. He said he would put in a good word for me if I wanted to join, and that would get me in. If I'm working with them I'll be making _a lot_ of money, and I'll actually be able to train consistently with Pikachu."

Seeing Brock remain silent, Ash assumed that he was seriously considering his plan.

Brock gulped audibly as he slowed down, pulling onto shoulder of the road. Hearing Ash's suggestion brought back a recent discussion with Serena.

 _"Brock, all of this is way too dangerous for him...you're here letting him think that it's okay to run around town with a group of thugs and their Pokemon!"_

Brock sighed. Maybe...maybe he had made a mistake getting Ash involved with the Red Skulls. He had never intended for Ash to work with them full time.

"Come on Ash, you can't be serious." Brock began, causing Ash to deflate a little. "I know you're trying to do what you can, but just take a moment and step back from everything. You're what, seventeen years old? It's not your place to jeopardize your own future for your family's sake."

"Are you kidding me?" Ash exclaimed indignantly. "You're the one that's always preaching 'family over everything!' Are you seriously telling me to turn my back on them?"

"That's not what I mean Ash. I'm just saying that you're barely an adult. The family you have right now isn't your responsibility. Whether you want to admit it or not, Cassidy is the one that brought you all together. You're not in any position to pick up all of the responsibilities she had, and that's just the way it is." Brock insisted, causing Ash to exhale exasperatedly.

"So what am I supposed to do, just wait until foster care finds out that Cassidy can't take care of us so that they can come and take Casey and Macy away?" Ash asked him, his hands clenched into tight fists. "I'd sooner die than see that happen!"

"Okay, okay, let's talk hypothetically. Say you did drop out of school and joined the Red Skulls, do you know how much time you'll have to invest with them? Who is going to watch the girls for you if you have to spend some extended time with the Skulls like you do each month?" Brock listed some questions off for him, causing Ash to think of some of the finer details he hadn't considered.

How much time would he have to devote to the Red Skulls? Who would watch the girls? What if Cassidy's coma persisted and she remained in the hospital? What if he fell into debt trying to pay for this bill? How much more time would he have to give up? What would Casey and Macy say if he was hardly around all of a sudden?

"Damn it." He muttered with a defeated groan. "I-I don't know what I'm supposed to do. No matter what, it just feels like I don't have an answer for anything."

Brock spent a moment in thought, then he reached to controls of his car radio to change the song that was playing. Once it started, he began to drive again. It took a few moments for Ash to recognize the beat of song that was playing, and he couldn't deny that Brock's choice in music could be impeccable at times. He began to whisper the lyrics, but upon arriving at the chorus of the song, Ash found himself staring incredulously at Brock.

" _We all need, some-body, to lean~ on!_ " Brock sang out in a cringe-worthy voice over the music. Ash placed a hand against his cheek and shook his head at his friend's antics. It took every ounce of his being to hide the smile on his face, but that was something Ash could always count on Brock for. Even in the worst of situations, Brock would find a way to make people smile.

* * *

As he entered his home, Ash was greeted by a familiar voice before he could even take off his shoes.

"Ashy's here!" Macy exclaimed as she came rushing out of the living room with her coloring book in hand.

"Hey Macy." Ash said to her happily as she came to a stop in front of him, and held up her book proudly.

"Look!" She declared as he reached down, accepting the book from her. Upon seeing the page she had opened to, a smile broke out on Ash's face.

"Wow Macy, you stayed in the lines this time!" Ash said as he kneeled down, beginning to ruffle her hair to heap the praise on her. Macy beamed brightly with a giggle.

"Serena helped me." She explained, and this caused Ash to raise an eyebrow.

"Serena's here?" Ash asked and Macy nodded to him. As Ash straightened up, he glanced at Brock but his friend refused to make eye contact with him.

"Let's go Ashy, she's waiting." Macy said as she tugged at the leg of his pants, motioning for him to follow her into the living room. She led him into the largest room of their home, and Ash felt his chest become tight when he saw what was waiting for him there.

All of his friends.

Serena, Shauna, Miette, Tierno, Valerie and Trevor. All of them were in his living room, seated on the floor or sofa. They had been watching a movie with Casey and Macy which they had paused now that Ash was standing into the entrance to the room, staring at them in shock.

"What's happening Ash?" Tierno asked him with a quick wave.

"A little birdie told us you needed a baby sitter tonight." Miette added, and Ash looked toward Brock once again. This time however, Brock was looking straight at him with a wide grin on his face.

Ash sucked in his lips, and then raised a hand to cover his mouth. He couldn't believe that all of his friends were here! A lump formed in his throat as he glanced around the room once more, observing each of them. He wanted to thank each and every one of them, but he didn't trust his voice. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Ash saw out of the corner of his eyes that it was Brock trying to console him.

"No need to say anything Ash, just take it easy for tonight." Brock said, motioning to the sofa. Valerie and Tierno were seated together, but they quickly made space for Ash to join them. Taking a seat, Ash leaned back into the chair with a sigh of relief, glad that this day was finally over.

Discovering Macy looking up at him expectantly, Ash scooped her up in his arms and placed her on his lap as they resumed the movie. It was a comedy, one that he was certain Tierno had picked considering how corny the first joke was. It wasn't long before Ash's eyes became heavy and then they shut for good.

"Oh my god, that's adorable." Shauna whispered, being the first to notice that Ash had fallen asleep. Macy was still seated on his lap, but she had also fallen asleep, leaning back against Ash's chest. Shauna and Miette quickly took out their phones to get a few pictures of this.

"What are you guys doing?" Serena whispered harshly at the two of them. Shauna merely stuck her tongue out, but Miette always had a response for everything.

"Hey, this could be good blackmail material down the road." Miette suggested before Ash shifted on the sofa, placing his head onto Tierno's shoulder. "Oh, it's definitely blackmail material now."

"Make sure you send me one." Tierno whispered to them, and Shauna gave him a thumbs up as a promise to do so.

Serena could only roll her eyes at the duo as they snapped several pictures of Ash. As her gaze settled onto the target of their phone cameras, Serena fought off her urge to smile at him. She was still upset with him for their last 'conversation' earlier this week.

" _I know you're better than this Serena...you never let people shape your opinion, so why are you letting them tell you how you should look at me?"_

No matter how much she tried to shut out that conversation, Ash's final words to her continued to invade her thoughts.

Serena had never cared what other people had thought of Pokemon. The opinion she had of Pokemon was one she had built on her own. The media had nothing to do with her thoughts. She knew firsthand how dangerous Pokemon could be, and she didn't want to see Ash become the victim of an… accident.

It didn't seem to matter what anyone said to Ash, nothing steered him away from Pokemon. In fact, it was starting to look like the opposition was only pushing him to pursue Pokemon training even more vigorously. Why was Ash so drawn to Pokemon?

Taking another look at the person in question, Serena focused on Macy and tilted her head. Even though Ash was sound asleep, he still had an arm wrapped around the small girl protectively. If there was anything Serena was certain about, it was that the women in his life meant the world to him. Serena understood that Ash wanted more money to stabilize their lives, and Pokemon training could earn him some large sums of money. Was that the reason he was throwing himself in harm's way?

Rising from her spot on the floor, Serena squeezed her way through Shauna and Miette so that she could approach Ash and Macy. Leaning over, she loosened Ash's grip on his sister, allowing her to pick up Macy. He stirred slightly, but settled back into his slumber. Now with Macy in her arms, Serena made her way to the exit of the living room before she heard the top of a marker pop off. Looking back, she saw Casey standing over Ash with a blue marker, prepared to add a few thoughtful...designs to his complexion.

"Are you guys' crazy?" Serena whispered at them, but the entire group grinned back at her. Rolling her eyes again, Serena left them, making a mental note to ask for some of those pictures later on.

Heading up to Macy's room, Serena laid her down on her bed and raised the covers over her. Macy immediately curled up beneath her covers, a few dolls accompanying her on the bed. It was just too cute for Serena to suppress a smile. Macy had no idea how lucky she was to have Ash watching over her.

Taking a glance up at the mural Ash had painted on the wall, Serena could only sigh at the masterpiece. The first time Serena had seen it was she left in awe. She was absolutely baffled by Ash's talent, and she wouldn't admit it openly but she was also envious.

"Psst, Serena."

The brunette yelped in surprise before turning to see Brock standing at the entrance to Macy's room.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"Can you come down to the kitchen, I want to talk with you." Brock stated and left before she could reply. Serena raised her brow at this.

"Sleep tight Macy." Serena said to the small girl before she rose to her feet and shut off the lamp. Heading back downstairs, Serena immediately noticed that the living room was empty now save for Ash and Casey. Ash was still sound asleep with Casey now seated next to him, watching the movie that they had started. With an expression of confusion, Serena then proceeded to the kitchen where she found everyone waiting on her. "What's going on?"

Serena looked to Miette for an answer, but she only shrugged her shoulders and pointed at Brock.

"M'kay, we have everyone here." Brock began. "So first, I want thank you guys for coming tonight."

"What's with the introduction Brock? I thought we came for a movie?" Trevor pointed out, getting a few agreements from the others.

"That's what I said. But, I actually wanted to talk with you guys all at once. About Ash." Brock said and this silenced everyone.

"I thought he was acting a bit weird." Miette noted.

"That's one way to put it. Ash is in a tough spot right now. His foster mom is in the hospital and they don't know when she might come out." Brock explained, surprising them.

"Cassidy is in the hospital?" Serena repeated with an expression of shock, and Brock nodded to her.

"Yeah, she had some kind of heart attack, and it hasn't been pretty since. So Ash is trying to watch the girls right now. Basically, he can't leave them alone. If someone finds out they don't have a legal guardian here, Casey and Macy will get taken back into foster care." Brock revealed, earning a few gasps. Serena felt her chest tighten at this prospect.

If something like this happened, she had no idea how Ash would take it.

"Macy's so cute, we can't let that happen!" Shauna exclaimed.

"That's why I called you guys here tonight. I was hoping we could… work together to help Ash out. He told me he's thinking about dropping out of school to focus on making money." Brock continued. "He thinks that, joining the Red Skulls is his best option at the moment."

Joining the Red Skulls?!

Everyone present shared a glance, realizing how grim the situation was if Ash had turned to this.

"I've heard some stories about those guys. They're not the type of crowd he should be around." Miette said disapprovingly.

"He's not thinking anymore. He just looking for the fastest way to fix his problems." Brock pointed out, and some of them gave a nod of understanding. It was easy to become shortsighted when you're overwhelmed.

Ash was poised to throw away everything if they let him go through with this.

"So what can we do for him?" Valerie asked softly causing everyone to look at her. Her usually cheerful and easy going demeanor was replaced with a stern expression, her eyes filled with valor. The situation seemed to light a fire within her. All eyes then shifted to Brock for the plan they would follow.

"The first thing he needs is an intervention. He still hasn't really decided what he's going to do, so we have a really good chance to set him straight before he can do something stupid." Brock explained, pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought about the next step. "Then I think he just needs help to watch the girls. I don't want him ditching school to watch them, so if we can work out some sort of schedule to help him I'm sure that'll make him relax some more."

Serena crossed her arms in front of her chest as she listened to Brock. She was impressed with his thoughtfulness. Brock was going to great lengths for Ash, just in an effort to help Ash look at things objectively. However, it became abundantly clear to her that Ash was keeping in close contact with Brock. She could see why Ash trusted Brock so much, but it kind of hurt to know that he wasn't willing to confide in her anymore.

"You've given this some serious thought Brock." Valerie noted, shooting Brock a kind smile. "I'll be happy to help."

"Yeah, I'm on board too!" Shauna added and soon enough Brock was smiling as almost everyone voiced their desire to help. The only person left was Serena.

Shauna glanced at her friend, a look of concern on her face. She was certain that Serena was still trying to swallow her last discussion with Ash. If there was one thing Shauna knew about Serena, it was that she wasn't a spiteful person and Serena quickly proved this to be true.

"I'll help out as best I can." She stated, and Brock beamed since everyone had agreed to help.

Ash truly had a fantastic group of friends.

"So Brock, when do you intend to talk with him?" Valeria asked curiously.

"As soon as he wakes up." Brock responded.

"Awugh, when who wakes up?"

Everyone turned to see Ash standing in the kitchen entrance, startling Serena with a yawn. An awkward silence set in as everyone started at Ash's face, seeing that a large mustache and monocle had been drawn onto his skin earlier. They had all completely forgotten about what they had done to him, and all of them had to fight off their urge to burst into a fit of laughter.

"What's the matter with you guys?" Ash asked them, confused by their stares. He began to scratch at his upper lip as he did so, which caused Valerie of all people to stifle a laugh. This small moment of weakness caused Shauna to break out in a giggle, and the laughter poured forth. Ash looked around at them in search of an answer for what had caused them to laugh. Seeing Tierno pointing at him, Ash quickly checked his clothes but they were exactly how he left them. So that left his face...

Ash stomped off to the bathroom upstairs, allowing Casey to step into the kitchen as she held her sides.

"Did you guys see him?" She asked, but Brock raised a hand motioning for everyone to quiet down. They heard Ash throw open the door to the bathroom and flip on the light to look in the mirror.

"Hey, who the hell drew on my face!?"

Laughter ensued.

* * *

 **A/N**

I believe this was my shortest chapter since chapter three. Most of them are usually pushing 10k words, so a shorter one felt nice. The next chapter and final chapter of this story arc should be out next week. It should put a nice pretty little bow on everything before move onto a new arc, one that I'm super excited to start posting.

Again I have to give credit for my inspiration. 'Lean on Me' by Bill Withers was the foundation of this chapter as well as the following one. This song is from before my time though so if you're a younger person, the cast of 'Glee' also did a fantastic rendition of this song that does it some serious justice.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, I have an amazing beta-reader in MjrGenMatt! I can't thank him enough for all of his help!

I don't have anything else to say this time but to thank you all for reading as always and give me some feedback if you feel the urge to do so. I can't wait to see you all again, so until next time everyone, have a good one!


	15. My Friends

**Chapter 15**

* * *

"Ugh, I can't believe you guys." Ash grumbled as he sat in his kitchen among his friends, all of which were still snickering at the prank they had pulled on him. It had taken him the better part of ten minutes to wash off the marker from his face, but he had successfully removed everything. "So what are you guys doing here?"

Upon asking his question, Ash felt the mood in the room become heavier as everyone shared glances.

"Ash...we want to talk to you." Valerie began, causing Ash to furrow his brow. He followed by raising a hand to stop her from continuing.

"Let me guess, Brock told you guys what's been going on?" Ash assumed, and judging from Shauna's expression of shock, Ash knew he was right. "Guys, I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything you're trying to do, but I'm good."

"Oh please." Miette interjected with a great frown. "We're not stupid Ash. You're seventeen trying to take care of two girls by yourself. Don't you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"

Ash's expression hardened as he looked toward Miette, but this didn't deter her from continuing.

"Brock told us _everything_. As much as you might want to believe you've got this under control, you don't." Miette stated sternly. Tierno and Brock made a face at Miette's brutal honesty. "But...that's okay."

"Huh?" Ash said softly, giving her a look of confusion.

"I understand what you're trying to do right now Ash. You're just like everyone else. You want to show everyone that you've grown up." Miette said, and everyone paused to consider Miette's point.

Serena raised her brow as she looked toward Ash. Trying to apply what Miette said to Ash, the brunette realized that perhaps Ash was trying to prove something to someone...or maybe to himself.

"Let's face it Ash, you can't just decide that you're an adult now and say 'oh, I can handle everything.'" Miette went on, chuckling as she said this. "Believe me, I wish it was that easy. If it was, I would be off in Fuchsia City now, but that's beside the point. Things...take time sometimes, and rushing isn't always the solution."

"I agree with that one hundred percent." Valerie added and she smiled kindly at Ash as they briefly made eye contact.

"So what should I do then? If the wrong person hears that Cassidy is in the hospital, they'll take Casey and Macy from us." Ash stated as his gaze drifted to Casey who was also present in the kitchen. Clearly his only concern was his two sisters.

"Let us help you Ash." Valerie answered consolingly. "Dropping out of school, that's _not_ a good idea. Believe me."

Looking back to Valerie, Ash caught sight of an expression he had never seen her make before. It was always so easy to maintain eye contact with her, but she was clearly distressed. Was his decision that unsettling to her?

"You don't need to be in a rush to try and prove that you're an adult." Miette continued off her last point. "I mean, just look at some of us. I'm twenty one and still asking Serena for rides everywhere."

"Yeah!" Shauna interjected, beaming as she spoke. "And I'm twenty two, I dropped out of medical school and I'm basically broke...now."

Her smiled faded as she admitted this, and then she gave a heavy sigh. Miette and Serena didn't waste a moment to comfort Shauna, placing a hand on each of her shoulders.

"Don't feel bad Shauna. I'm twenty four and still living with my parents." Brock pointed out.

"Yeah, and calling your car ' _the babe magnet_.'" Tierno added, earning a laugh from the group. Even though the jab had been directed at him, Brock found himself laughing as well.

"So do you get what I'm saying Ash?" Miette asked him once they had quieted down.

"That we're all pathetic?" He asked in return, sporting a grin. She leered at him playfully, but he gave her a nod. "Yeah, I know that I have the rest of my life ahead of me. But if something that I love is in jeopardy right now, I don't see why I shouldn't drop everything to protect it."

Serena watched Ash closely as he spoke. She was touched that he was so committed to his family, but she couldn't help but think back to when she and Ash had a discussion similar to the one taking place.

-X-X-

 _Ash and Serena had been enjoying an afternoon stroll through the park in Ash's neighborhood. It was late in the summer and the park was heavily populated, so they had journeyed over to a quieter area. They weren't the only ones to seek out a quiet place._

 _As they were walking, they passed a woman seated on a bench with a flock of Pidgey around her. Ash stopped to watch them. Serena followed his line of sight to the woman, but it only took her a moment to realize that Ash was focused on the Pokemon around her. Serena remained silent as he watched them, eventually coming out of his daze._

" _Oh uh, sorry Serena." Ash muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "I got a bit distracted there."_

" _It's no problem." Serena replied now as she took a moment to study the bird Pokemon. They were all chirping noisily around the woman as she threw out a few seeds for them to peck at. Serena couldn't understand Ash's fascination with Pokemon, no matter how much she tried to wrap her head around it. "Ash, can you tell me why you're so interested in Pokemon?"_

 _Ash invited her to join him as he went over to a nearby tree, taking a seat on the grass in the shade it provided. Once Serena was comfortable next to him, Ash began to speak._

" _Because I love Pokemon." Ash began. "Like, you love to dance and perform right?"_

 _Serena gave him a nod._

" _Well think of how much you love to dance, and multiply it by ten thousand." Ash stated, and Serena stared at him incredulously which caused Ash to laugh. "I know it sounds crazy, but I'm being serious. There's nothing I love in the world more than Pokemon. Absolutely nothing."_

 _Serena watched as he donned a smile, and she couldn't help but notice that it seemed like Ash was sparkling. He laid back onto the grass and reached upward with both of his hands toward the tree branches._

" _There's people that spend their whole life working, and they get irritated with their jobs and whatnot. But then I've met people that have said if you find something you love and do it every day, you'll never work a day in your life." Ash explained to her. "I've found what I love, what I love doing, what I'm definitely going to spend the rest of my doing. And I'm not going to let anyone tell me otherwise."_

-X-X-

Serena snorted audibly, impressed with Ash's consistency. He had told her that more than a year ago, and today he was still just as stubborn and hardheaded as he was back then.

"Is something the matter Serena?" Brock asked, placing all eyes on the brunette. She shook her head for a moment and looked toward Ash.

"Ash, why won't you let any of us help you?" She asked him with a strained voice. There was a lump in her throat, probably from the apprehension of engaging this subject with Ash again.

"Why?" Ash was asking himself this.

"What are you trying to prove?" Serena pressed, and Ash was surprised that she was questioning him again. They had barely made eye contact since he had come back home. Their last discussion still stung in his mind, so he thought that Serena would be ignoring him.

Ash looked down. He was trying to prove something, and Serena had picked up on it.

She could see it in his eyes. That he was trying to prove that he could do anything he put his mind to.

Everyone he knew held some sort of disdain toward his goal of becoming a Pokemon trainer. They tried to reason with him that he needed a stable future, not one where he gambled everything on Pokemon.

Ash wanted to prove to everyone that he could do this, and what better proof would there be than using Pokemon to take care of his family?

Serena, however, was wondering why Ash felt the need to validate his dream. If there was anything that she found appealing about Ash, it was the air of confidence that surrounded him. He never questioned his abilities. Any task to him was merely a question of how long would it take him to complete it. He would _never_ consider the thought of, 'can I actually do this?'

Was all of their opposition finally breaking Ash's confidence in himself?

Serena felt a terrible weight drop on her shoulders. Was such a thing possible? That a crack had formed in Ash's unyielding confidence...that Ash might have begun to doubt himself. No, that couldn't be!

A tear escaped Serena's eye, sliding down her cheek. Everyone was surprised as she looked away from them, wiping away the tear with a sniffle.

"Serena, are you okay?" Ash asked her. She could hear the concern in his voice as her friends inched closer to her, ready to provide some support. Serena motioned for them to remain in their places, using a few moments to compose herself.

"Ash, you of all people have nothing to prove." Serena began, her voice regaining its strength. "You said it yourself, you have the rest of your life ahead of you and the world is up for grabs. Whatever you choose to do, I want to know that I...we're all here for you."

Everyone but Ash smiled brightly at Serena's statement, giving Ash a nod of agreement.

"So please...just let us help you. We don't want you to handicap your future because of a hasty decision you make right now." Serena continued, and Ash lowered his shoulders as he looked at his friend.

"I hear ya Serena." He said, nodding his head. "If you're going to cry about it, I'll stay in school."

Serena approached him and punched his shoulder, earning a laugh from Ash. Without warning she embraced him, whispering a thanks to him. Separating herself from Ash, he smiled at her, glad that they had mended the bridge between them.

Miette couldn't help but roll her eyes at the two of them. Despite most of them taking the time to try and convince Ash not to think rashly, all it took was some words from Serena to get him to pause for a moment.

"And you know what the best part is, guys?" Ash inquired as he looked around at all his friends. "We've _all_ got the rest of our lives ahead of us, right?"

"You got that right!" Tierno exclaimed.

"So let's make a promise right now. That one day, we'll all show the world what we're made of." Ash announced, causing all of them to adorn smiles that were brimming with confidence.

"That's right!" Brock said as he took his place at the center of the kitchen. "Come on guys, bring it in, bring it in!"

Brock put out his hand, and everyone immediately understood. Reaching out, they all put one hand on top of the other as they stood in a circle. Casey was the only one who was watching, but Ash quickly made a gesture for her to join them.

"Come on Casey." Ash said to her. She looked surprised, but jumped right into their huddle.

"We all might be struggling right now, but that doesn't mean we're stuck here. One day in the future, we're going to do something amazing." Brock declared as Trevor took out his digital camera, taking a few snap shots of the group with his free hand. "So let's make it happen!"

"Yeah!" They shouted together, throwing their hands up.

* * *

 **Wednesday, November 2** **nd**

Seated on the front steps in front of his home, Ash waved to Casey as she stepped off of the bus that had dropped her home from school. She returned his wave before a call from Macy gained her attention.

Their youngest sibling had been anxiously waiting for Casey to come home to play her favorite side walk game – hopscotch.

"Let's play!" Macy exclaimed, and Casey removed her backpack and tossed it to Ash. He snorted upon catching the bag before placing it beside him on the staircase. Leaning back, he watched his sisters as they went back and forth, calling what square they would be hopping to.

With the freedom to relax, Ash fell back into the daze he had been in since last night.

He still couldn't believe that all of his friends had come at the drop of a hat to help him out. It was almost surreal how they came to his rescue. As much as he wanted to deny it, Ash had been feeling very helpless. He had no idea what was the right course of action that would ensure the safety of his family. Thankfully, his friends had gifted him with all of the help in the world.

After their conversation last night, everyone had worked out a schedule to help Ash watch the girls. They would be watching Macy in shifts while Ash was in school, and everyone was willing and able to help out when he had to go work. Surprisingly, Shauna took on the bulk of the night shifts, revealing to everyone that she had nothing better to do during most weeknights.

Ash openly stated that he was indebted to all of them, insisting that he would find a way to pay them back for all of their time and energy. Of course his friends declined, but Ash wasn't going to let them sweep this under the rug. He would think of something to surprise them.

Unfortunately, they wouldn't be able to implement this schedule until Friday afternoon at the earliest. All of them had prior commitments for this week which Ash could understand, but it meant that he would be missing a few more days of school, not that he really cared. The extra time with Macy was proving to be delightful, though Ash had to admit that he was seeing a side of the girl he wasn't accustomed to seeing. Cassidy had her work cut out for her trying to entertain Macy all day every day.

Feeling someone drop down beside him, Ash exited his thoughts and glanced at Casey. She raised her brow briefly at him before they looked back at Macy who was working through her hopscotch course once again.

"I'm glad you're starting to relax a little." Casey noted softly.

"Was I that obvious?" Ash asked her in return, and she gave him a large nod.

"I was a little nervous. All I could do was hope you didn't do anything stupid." Casey pointed out, shooting him a smirk.

Ash flicked her shoulder in response before exhaling loudly. Casey was definitely right. For three days, it felt like he had been holding his breath. Now he could breathe easy and it was all thanks to-

"Ash, your friends are _awesome_." Casey stated, and Ash beamed at this.

"They really are."

* * *

 **Friday, November 4** **th**

" _Commençons mes étudiants."_ Fantina declared to her students, motioning for them to begin working. She had just finished explaining what their assignment for this class period, also mentioning that since it was Friday she would allow them ten minutes of free time near the end of class.

Fantina smiled with satisfaction as her students became absorbed in their work with just the occasional bit of small talk. Now she could move on to her next order of business, attendance. Returning to her desk, Fantina began to look down her attendance sheet on her computer. Running down the list quickly, it didn't take Fantina long to arrive at her first and only absent student.

Monsieur Ketchum.

He had been missing for the entirety of this school week now, and she missed his company during her free periods. Ash enjoyed listening to her experiences from when she lived in Kalos and Sinnoh, and it gave Fantina ample opportunity to keep practicing her English.

Little did Fantina know that she wasn't the only one missing Ash's company.

Dawn found herself looking toward the back of the class room for the fifth time already this class period. Rolling her eyes, Dawn had to remind herself that doing this wouldn't suddenly make Ash appear in his seat. With a sigh, the bluenette returned to her work, though her actions did not go unnoticed by her partner, May.

"Sheesh, do you miss him that much?" May asked her in a whisper. Dawn cheeks began to heat up at May's suggestion, but she couldn't deny that she missed Ash. It felt strange not sharing a good portion of her day with him. She enjoyed exchanging thoughts with him, in fact their thoughts always seemed to be in line with each other's.

"I'm just used to having him around, that's all." Dawn retorted.

"Oh, so he's like a pet to you?" May asked, earning a sharp leer from Dawn.

"May!" She exclaimed without any forethought which caused Fantina to shush her.

The brunette snickered as Dawn sunk into her seat, apologizing to Fantina for the volume of her voice.

"So how about this Dawn, let's go visit him after school today." May suggested quietly, earning a narrow glance from Dawn.

"We can't just show up at his house." Dawn said, causing May to look at her funny.

"Why not, I show up at your house all the time."

"I mean...we should at least call him first or something." Dawn reasoned. She had never been comfortable going to someone's house unannounced. Not even May's home.

"Fine, I'll give him a call later." May said as she rolled her eyes. "What time do you want to meet up later?"

"Uh...I got something to take care of after school first. Are you cool with waiting for me?"

"Dawn you're lucky I'm such a great friend." May said through pursued lips. Dawn deadpanned in response, causing May to grin at her. "O-kay, we can meet at my car. I'm parked by the field today."

Their Friday afternoons usually consisted going out to a popular cafe on the east side of town, but today they had some different plans.

* * *

Dawn looked out the passenger window of May's car as they pulled up alongside Ash's house. She had been here on three separate occasions now, but she still felt uncomfortable as May turned off the engine of her car.

This unease bubbled in her chest for one primary reason. Ash hadn't answered any of their calls.

Dawn didn't like the thought of them knocking on his door without any prior notice, but it seemed like that was their only option. The bluenette was worried about him since he had been missing all week. At the very least, Dawn wanted to know that he if he was alright.

"Come on Dawn." May said, tapping her knuckles against the window of Dawn's door. May was already outside of the car, waiting for her friend to join her. Releasing her seat belt, Dawn got out of the car with a sheepish laugh and shut the door. Once May locked up her car, they went up the small staircase to the front door where knocked on the door frame without any hesitation.

Dawn was thankful that May was here to do just this. Dawn was positive that she would've frozen up in front of the door. The last thing she needed to do was look suspicious outside of Ash's house.

There was a click and the front door opened. May was at a loss for words at the sight of the person who had answered the door. Her eyes became wide at the sight of some short blue hair. May had always thought that Dawn and Johanna were the only people with blue hair in all of Vermilion City, but apparently there were others.

"Oh, you're one of Ash's friends right? I think I met you that night at the train station." Dawn said as she looked at the young woman thoughtfully.

"I'm Miette. And I remember you too, but you'll have to remind me of your name." Miette said as she looked at Dawn.

"Dawn."

"That's right. So how have you been _Dawn_?" Miette inquired, emphasizing Dawn's name to commit it to memory.

"I've been pretty good." Dawn replied calmly. "And yourself?"

"I can't complain." Miette said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"So what are you doing here?" Miette asked before a silence could set in now that they had gone through the formalities.

"Oh well, this is my friend May." Dawn said, introducing the brunette beside her. Miette spared May a glance, but she was far more interested in why Dawn was here. Recalling the last time she had spoken to Dawn, Miette had a sneaky suspicion that Dawn wanted to be more than just friends with Ash. "We're here to check on Ash actually. He hasn't come to school all week so we thought it might be good idea to see if he's okay."

Miette raised her brow at the two of them, a small smile forming on her face.

"Wow, Ash has some cool friends." Miette noted but she frowned as she began to share some bad news. "He's not here at the moment. He went to work like an hour ago."

"Has he been working all week or something?" May asked. Miette shook her head which prompted another question from May. "So then why hasn't he been coming to school?"

Miette took a moment to glance at each of the girls, sizing them up. She was impressed that they were willing to go out of their own way to come check on Ash, especially on a Friday afternoon. They could have been getting a head start on their weekend, but instead they had come to check on their friend. Miette gave a small nod and stepped aside, inviting them to enter Ash's home.

"Come on in. I want to talk with the two of you." Miette said, causing Dawn and May to share a tentative glance before they complied. Stepping into Ash's house, they removed their shoes while Miette shut the door. This audio cue sparked a shout from the living room nearby.

"Miette, who was at the door?" A voice called out.

"Some girls that know Ash." Miette hollered back.

"Are they gone?" The voice continued as it drew closer. Dawn looked at the entrance to the living room when Serena stepped out of it. Serena blushed out of embarrassment as she saw Dawn and May standing with Miette who had a devilish grin on her face. "Miette, why didn't you say you invited them in?"

Miette stuck her tongue out at Serena and then motioned for the girls to follow her into the living room. As the four of them entered the room, they were greeted by a small girl in the middle of the room who was laying on the floor, scribbling away at a coloring book.

"Hi~!" Macy bellowed at Dawn and May. Her gaze settled on Dawn, and she put down her crayons to focus on the bluenette.

"Do you remember me Macy?" Dawn asked as she and May approached the girl.

"Yeah, you were with Ashy at the party!" She declared.

"Party?" May and Miette asked together, giving Dawn a curious glance.

"Remember the block party last month. I went with Ash and his sisters." Dawn explained.

"Oh, _your date_." May said slyly, earning a light elbow from Dawn. May laughed before she kneeled down beside Macy. "So what are you up to sweetheart?"

Macy quickly picked up her coloring book from the floor and lifted it proudly for May to see.

"I'm drawing like Ashy!" Macy explained to them as Macy accepted the book, beginning to examine some of the pages she had colored. "Ashy's really good. I'm gonna draw like him."

"Aww, that's adorable." May exclaimed with a bright smile for Macy. "And your right, _Ashy_ is really good at drawing. He's amazing."

"The best!" Macy added, causing May to laugh. She could already tell that Macy had placed Ash on the highest pedestal and she absolutely loved the name this small girl called him. It was just the cutest thing!

While Dawn and May spoke with Macy, Serena and Miette remained at the entrance of the living room where they held a quiet conversation.

"What did you invite them in for?" Serena asked Miette.

"They came to visit Ash. I wasn't going to send them away." Miette responded, but Serena gave her a narrow glance. Miette wasn't kind to strangers or people she hardly knew. May and Dawn fit each category respectively, so that left Serena to assume that Miette had hatched some sort of plan.

"What are you thinking Miette?" Serena asked her skeptically.

"Nothing." Miette replied, making a face at Serena. "Do you have a problem with me being nice?"

"Not at all...it's just that-" Serena began.

"I'm trying to be hospitable." Miette interjected.

"This isn't your house." Serena pointed out.

"I'm practicing for the day I decide to open up my home." Miette retorted. "Now help me out. Fix up some of that iced tea Shauna made."

"Ugh, I'm not your servant Miette." Serena said as she rolled her eyes. Miette only smirked at her, and with a grumble Serena complied with her request. As Serena left for the kitchen, Miette joined the chatter around Macy in the living room.

Entering the kitchen, Serena went through each of the cabinets above the counter in search of the cups. It had been so long since she really spent time at Ash's house that she had forgotten where they put everything. Eventually she found a pair of glasses, and she quickly retrieved the pitcher of iced tea from the fridge.

As she poured each glass, Serena heard a shout from the living room.

"He's going to do what?!" May barked, and it didn't take long for Serena to piece together what they must have been talking about. Ash's business.

Putting away the pitcher with haste, Serena snatched up the two glasses from the counter and went back to the living room. Entering the room, she found the three of them seated on the sofa with Miette blabbering about Ash's personal life.

"That's why we're here. We're watching his sisters for him while he's-"

"Miette!" Serena said sharply, interrupting Miette before she could go any farther. "Can I speak to you in the kitchen?"

"Yeah when I'm done." Miette responded as Serena gave Dawn and May their drinks.

"No, right now." Serena stated in a low voice.

Miette pursed her lips, realizing that she was in trouble. Rising from the sofa with a sullen expression, she followed Serena out of the room. Once they were in the kitchen, Serena turned around to look at her friend intently.

"Miette, did you really just put all of Ash's business out there?" Serena asked her incredulously. She was honestly amazed that Miette had no problem talking about someone else's personal struggles without a care in the world.

"Okay, before you get upset...in _my_ defense, I thought it would be worth it to tell them." Miette replied. Serena waited for a moment to see if she would continue, but Miette didn't go any farther.

"So what made you think that it would be a good idea?" Serena asked her, but Miette remained silent. "Miette? Are you really giving me the silent treatment now?"

Miette stuck her tongue out at Serena once again, causing her to puff out her cheeks with a huff. Miette could be so frustrating sometimes that Serena just wanted to pull her hair out!

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Serena asked as Miette left the kitchen, returning to the living room. As she walked down the corridor, Miette looked back at Serena to stick her tongue out once again, further irritating Serena. "Ugh, you know you're the worst sometimes Miette!"

Following her back to the living room, Serena found that both Dawn and May had approached her friend to speak with her.

"We want to help out Ash." Dawn stated.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" May asked as well.

Both of them were anxious to get an answer from Miette, but she directed them to Serena. They practically jumped Serena which earned a snort from Miette.

Serena was taken aback by their sudden declaration, and it took a moment for her to process everything. There were two high school girls offering their free time to help Ash with his problems. Serena had a hard time imagining herself doing this when she was their age, not that she was selfish. There were so many other things she would have preferred to do, and she was certain that Dawn and May had similar thought processes. Yet they were willing to sacrifice that bit of freedom they had for Ash.

Serena was left to assume that Ash must have left a lasting impression on these girls.

"Uh, to be honest, you'll have to talk to Ash when he gets back." Serena answered them after a few moments.

"That's no problem, we'll wait." May said and Dawn nodded in agreement. Serena glanced at Miette now, and she saw the smirk Miette was wearing. It was then that she realized why Miette had been so open about Ash with them. They cared for Ash, not just as a peer, but as a person and friend.

* * *

Arriving at his home from work at t eight fifteen, Ash had been expecting to meet the people that he had left there when he went to work. However, he returned to some extra guests, though he was pleasantly surprised to see the duo that was waiting for him in his living room. Dawn and May.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ash asked as he blinked a few times. At first he had been wondering if it was truly them. It had been almost a full week since he had last seen then, so he had been looking forward to seeing them again at school. Fortunately they saved him the trouble of waiting through the weekend for next Monday.

"You didn't come to school all week. We thought you were sick." Dawn began.

"You had us really worried, ya know." May added, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"So we came to see if you were okay." Dawn continued.

"And we met Serena and Miette, or at least I did." May went on. "And they filled us in on what's been going on with you."

Ash looked toward the two young women that May had mentioned, furrowing his brow at them. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about what they had done because they weren't the first to do this. At this point it seemed like everyone was going to know at some point whether he wanted them to or not.

"Don't get upset with them. They didn't want to tell us but we _pried_ the information out of them." May declared, and Ash gave her a look filled with skepticism. He knew for a fact that Serena could be trusted with a secret. Miette, however, was so unpredictable. She could've told them everything for all he knew...or perhaps May and Dawn had pulled off a fantastic good cop-bad cop routine to get the information out of them. Ash shook his head, laughing inwardly at the thought of Dawn and May interrogating Miette.

"So we want to help you Ash." Dawn finished as she and May made eye contact with him. He stood baffled for a moment at their offer.

"Why?" He blurted out with a confused expression. "Don't take that the wrong way, it's just that you guys are, like, just getting to know me."

"And?" May asked him pointedly. "That's no reason to ignore someone I know that needs help."

Ash was still in the process of getting to know May since their first meeting almost two months ago. He was impressed with her initially, taking the time to speak with him one on one in an effort to get to know him better. She was very personable, but it didn't take him long to realize that could also be very indecisive. As he looked at her know, he was filled with admiration for how proactive she was being. She and Dawn had come her to help him, and he wasn't in a position to refuse either.

"Much respect May." Ash said as he approached the two of them, extending a closed fist to May. She looked at him for a moment before bumping fists with him, beaming proudly. Ash then moved his hand over to Dawn, motioning for her to do the same. "I can't thank you two enough for offering to help me. You guys-err, girls, you rock."

"Aww, thanks _Ashy_." May said, shooting him a wink. How May referred to him caused Ash to stare at her in a deadpan, causing the others to stifle a laugh.

"Since you're on board, you have to exchange numbers with us so we can call you guys." Miette said now, taking control of the conversation.

"And I'll give you Shauna's number too. Macy can be a bit of a handful so if you two ever end up watching her on your own, you can give Shauna a call for help." Serena explained as the four of them took out their phones, beginning to trade their contact information.

"Ash, your sister is so adorable! I used to babysit my younger brother too so I'd love to watch her for you." May revealed to Ash. "And if you ever need a ride to work or home from school just let me know, I'd be happy to give you a lift."

Ash couldn't help but laugh inwardly. Just a few days ago he had been struggling to figure out all of this, and now everything just seemed to be falling into place. Things were finally looking up for him.

Seeing Ash smile at the news May shared with him, Dawn couldn't help but feel a little distant at the moment. This afternoon had been more eventful than either she or May had been expecting. Their discussion with Serena and Miette had revealed quite a bit of information to them. Like Ash's foster mother being left in a coma after a heart attack which left Ash to look after his younger sisters. That explained why he had been skipping school.

That was just the beginning. Miette had told them _all_ of the details. That Ash had been thinking about dropping out of school to join the Red Skulls. Neither Dawn nor May could believe that he was willing to do all of this, so they jumped at the opportunity to help him out if it would help him maintain his current lifestyle. May had instantly thought of all sorts of things she could do to help Ash, but Dawn was struggling. She could help him watching his sisters, but she wanted to do more than just that. What else could she offer besides her time?

* * *

 **Saturday, November 5** **th**

Ash sat back lazily on the couch in his living room, stroking Pikachu's back as it rested on his lap. It was past ten o'clock in the morning and Ash was content for the most part. Casey was sleeping in late, and Macy was absorbed in a cartoon so this left him with time to just sit and think.

The past week had been unlike anything Ash had ever experienced. Looking back on it now, he couldn't believe some of the decisions that he was prepared to make. He was actually considering dropping out of school. Ash shook his head, amazed that he had convinced himself that this was a viable choice. He had chosen to ignore the repercussions in favor addressing the issue at hand, but now that he had some time to relax, he allowed his mind to wander.

What would Cassidy say to him?

" _Are you out of your damn mind?!" "Get your ass back down to that school and I don't care who you have to beg, or how many asses you have to kiss, don't come back here until you've been re-enrolled!"_

Ash wanted to chuckle at the mental image of Cassidy losing her temper in such a fashion, but the woman had a tough side that normally went unseen. He had witnessed it just once, years ago, and he feared the thought of that anger being directed at him. It wasn't just her anger that worried him though, he was certain that her disappointment in him would far outweigh the initial anger.

Then there was Casey.

" _Well if you're not going to school then neither am I!"_

Convincing Casey to go to school was a challenge in itself. If Ash had stopped attending school for good, regardless of the circumstances, there was no way that Casey would continue going either. Ash was trying to fill in as an authority figure, but he knew that Casey wouldn't look at him that way. He was a brother to her, but also an equal. Despite being older, Casey didn't view him as her superior. As long as Cassidy wasn't here, Ash would have to do everything he could to keep her household in order. He paled at the thought of what Cassidy might do to him if Casey also dropped out of school.

"Ash!" Casey hollered, snapping him out of his thoughts. Glancing at the entrance to the living room, he spotted the girl standing there still dressed in her pajamas. "What's for breakfast?"

"I got your plate on the counter, just warm it up." Ash replied, motioning to the kitchen with his head.

"Thanks." She said softly before heading off. Ash exhaled, causing Pikachu to open one of its eyes to take a peek at him.

"Pi?" It asked him, rising up a bit.

"Oh no, nothing to worry about here Pikachu. I'm good." Ash assured his partner, looking directly into its eyes. They shared a moment, and Pikachu was satisfied with this before it flopped back down on his lap, allowing him to continue the massage.

Looking at Macy who was seated in front of the television, Ash was left to wonder what she would think of his choices.

" _Hooray, Ashy's home again!"_

Ash snorted, enjoying the idea of spending more time with Macy. She had been delighted to have him home most of the time during this past week. If he joined the Red Skulls there was no telling what kind of work schedule he might receive from them. Ash thought about what it would be like to work with the Red Skulls full time. If a small job with them took a whole weekend to complete, then they were likely expecting a huge time commitment from someone that wanted to work with them full time. Macy wouldn't be happy about that if he was hardly home.

If there was one thing that had truly surprised him this week, it was Macy. At this point he was expecting her to calling for Cassidy all the time, but the small girl seemed to be doing just fine without her foster mother. Ash wasn't sure how much longer this would continue, but his all of his friends watching Macy each day would hopefully be a good distraction for her. At least until they got some news about Cassidy.

But, what was he going to do after that?

Regardless of Cassidy's condition, Ash wanted a concrete means to take care of them. His part time job wasn't going to cut it, and joining the Red Skulls was off the table now. What was he going to do?

Pikachu perked up on his lap, its ears raised. A few moments later the doorbell rang, causing Ash to smirk at Pikachu's sense of hearing.

"Excuse me Pikachu." Ash said, and his Pokemon hopped off his lap so that he could rise up. Pikachu scampered off behind the couch, staying out of sight while Ash went to answer the door. Upon opening the front door, it took a moment for it to register in Ash's mind that he was staring at Dawn.

"Um...hi, Ash." She began with a small wave. It was clear that she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to say, failing to even make eye contact with Ash which afforded him some time to gain his composure.

"What are you doing here Dawn?" Ash inquired, opening the door completely. This allowed Ash to see the blue car parked in front of his house. Seated in the driver's seat was May which further piqued Ash's curiosity.

"Umm...well first I'm sorry for dropping by without calling." Dawn continued, her cheeks reddening as she admitted this. "I just uh, wanted to give you this."

Revealing her other hand which had been hidden behind her back, she extended an envelope to Ash. He raised his eyebrows as he accepted it from her.

"It's...just go ahead and open it." She said finally, motioning for him to look in it.

The envelope wasn't sealed, giving Ash easy access. There was a small slip of paper within it, which Ash quickly recognized as a check after a glance. A check for...five thousand dollars.

Ash blinked a few times, reading and re-reading the amount of money that this check was for. Signed by Dawn Berlitz, it was official.

"Dawn I…can't accept this." Ash breathed out in response, looking toward her eyes now. He was immediately filled with regret though as Dawn's hopeful expression shattered, being replaced by disappointment.

"Please." She begged him. He wanted to give this money back to her. He couldn't accept _this much_ money from her, no matter how much he wanted and needed it.

"Dawn, you've already agreed to help me look after the girls. I couldn't ask for anything else from you." Ash reasoned with her, but this didn't seem to satisfy her.

"You don't have to ask for this Ash. I'm giving this to you." Dawn replied sternly.

"This is _a lot_ of money-"

"No it isn't, not for me Ash. So please, just take it." She insisted. "There are no strings attached or anything. I just want you to have this to help out a bit…to keep things smooth for you."

Ash was hesitant to agree to this. On one hand, he was absolutely floored that she was actually giving him this money. The day he had first met her, she had also offered him money, but he had thought she was merely making the offer for show. Now that she had placed a check in his hands, he was honestly dumbfounded. Ash felt a wave of guilt hit him for questioning Dawn's generosity when they first met. Looking into her eyes once again, he saw that a tear was threatening to escape.

Looking at Dawn in this particular moment suddenly reminded Ash of the song Nando had played at his recital almost two weeks ago. He was reminded of the strong feelings Nando held for this girl, and Ash felt his heart skip a beat as he fully understood Nando's feelings.

Dawn was truly one of a kind.

"I just want to help Ash. May and...all your friends are doing everything they can. I've been trying to think of what I can do, but I couldn't think of anything. I didn't know what else I could do to help you Ash." Dawn explained to him, her voice distressed. "I can't sit around knowing that I could've done something to help you and didn't-"

Dawn was caught off guard as Ash embraced her, her face reddening dramatically. Down in her car, May broke out in a huge smile as saw Ash absorb Dawn in a hug.

"Thank you." Ash said softly to Dawn. He separated from her, and looked at her square in the face. "Thank you so much Dawn. I promise you that this money will go to good use."

Silence set in between them. Dawn couldn't find her voice, and Ash was unsure of what to say next. Lucky for them, there was someone else who had a good idea. May tooted the horn of her car, causing the two of them to glance back at her.

"Come on Dawn, I got Drew waiting for me!" May proclaimed after she had rolled down the window. This caused Ash and Dawn to laugh as they relaxed.

"So will I see you Monday?" Dawn asked him, looking back at him.

"That's the plan." He replied with a nod, and Dawn sighed with relief, wiping away the tear that had slid down her cheek.

"Great, I'll see you there-I mean, _we'll_ see you there." Dawn corrected herself with a nervous laugh, motioning toward May.

"I'm looking forward to it." Ash replied with a grin.

Dawn returned his smile and left with a wave. As she got to the car and opened her passenger door, May felt the need to add in her own two cents.

"Ash, I had better see you at school on Monday. If you're not there, just remember I know where you live~!" The brunette hollered, earning a loud laugh from Ash. Dawn rolled her eyes as she got into the car, quickly putting on her seat belt before May drove off. Ash waved to them as they left, remaining on his porch until they left his line of sight. His smile soon faded once they were gone because one question still remained on his mind.

What was he going to do after this?

* * *

 **Sunday, November 6** **th**

"Don't go too far now!" Ash hollered at Casey and Macy as they two of them dashed off into the sandy beaches.

Brock had dropped by late in the afternoon offering to take Ash and the girls down to beaches on the southern strip of Vermilion City. Upon arriving there the girls wasted no time removing their shoes and running out onto the sandy dunes. Ash and Brock remained with the car in the parking lot that was situated right by the beach, placing them in a prime location to watch over the girls.

"So how are you holding up?" Brock asked him as the two of them took a seat on the hood of his car. Ash appreciated how Brock had been checking on him daily. In fact, if it weren't for Brock checking on him so much during this week, Ash was certain he would've acted upon some of the thoughts he had. Brock had been helping him keep his grip on reality until his friends helped him take hold of his life once again.

"I'm good. I'm good." Ash said twice with a nod, once to assure Brock and a second time to assure himself.

"And Cassidy, any news on her?" Brock inquired.

"I got a phone call yesterday actually. They removed her from intensive care…but she hasn't woken up yet." Ash explained, and Brock frowned at this answer. "Basically they just told me to adjust to not having her around."

"Man that's rough." Brock commented, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Well with all of you guys helping us out, I'm not that worried." Ash stated, giving Brock a small grin. His expression became neutral as he looked out at Casey and Macy running through the sand. "The real problem, is that the hospital bill will keep getting bigger the longer she stays there."

Brock scrunched up his nose as this settled into his mind. The possibility of this bill reaching enormous proportions was very real.

"I hardly have enough money to cover what the bill had reached already. At this rate I'm gonna have to get rich overnight or go into debt." Ash paused, taking a deep breath. "And if we go into debt they'll find out Cassidy isn't paying which will tip off foster care that she's not fulfilling her responsibilities. Then if they investigate they'll find out that Cassidy hasn't been watching us and they'll _take_ Casey and Macy."

Brock eyed Ash's hands, seeing that he was wringing them out of apprehension. This wasn't the first time he had shared this news, but it was clearly evident how much this thought terrified Ash. He didn't want to lose his siblings, no matter the cost to himself.

"Don't worry, we won't let that happen." Brock stated. He could sympathize with Ash. Brock had a large family, and if anyone threatened them, he would stop at nothing to protect them.

"But what can I do? I'm not going to land some big time job. I can't join the Red Skulls. Where am I going to get that kind of money to pay the hospital?" Ash asked as he looked toward Brock. Upon seeing his friend don a smirk, Ash realized that Brock had an answer. "What are you thinking?"

Brock's smirk seemed to grow in response to Ash's skepticism.

"Have you thought about going pro?" Brock asked, causing Ash to stare at him blankly.

Going pro...as in becoming a professional Pokemon trainer. The title wasn't quite as extravagant as it sounded considering the profession was done almost entirely in secret.

To become a professional trainer took two things. One was the approval of the commissioner of the underground circuit. The man responsible for creating a circuit that had attracted the strongest trainers in the world, establishing a battle ground for them to compete with one another. He determined who could participate in this circuit.

The second requirement was a sponsor. Running the underground circuit took an incredible amount of funding. Not only that, but Pokemon battles had gained quite a bit of traction in the wealthy community of Vermilion City. They began to place bets on matches, turning these battles into a large gambling scene. As one's reputation grew in the circuit, trainers could find large sums of money being place on, or against them. Sponsors would match the bets against their trainers, only needing to pay a portion of that sum if their trainer lost. Victory though, would lead to a _substantial_ payday, one where a trainer could go from rags to riches overnight.

"How Brock?" Ash asked, breaking the silence that had set in. "I've never even seen the commissioner to talked to him. How would I convince him to let me in?"

"Ash my man, you just leave that to me." Brock said with a sense of certainty. Ash could feel the confidence radiating from his friend, and his doubts seemed to melt away. If there was anyone that could pull off a miracle like that, it was Brock. "If you're going pro, Ash, you're going to have to train a lot more."

"No kidding. I hardly have enough time to train as it is. I don't think I could make more time." Ash pointed out.

"Ash what did I just tell you?" Brock asked him as dug into one of his pockets. He pulled out an envelope and Ash felt his chest become tight.

"You too?" Ash exclaimed.

"Me too?" Brock asked in return. "What are you talking about?"

"Uh…nothing." Ash replied, shaking his head.

"I've got a little something here for you. It's not much." Brock said as he passed the envelope to Ash who opened it. Inside was several large dollar bills which Ash didn't take the time to count. He couldn't believe that Brock had given him money as well. "It's what I've saved up since the summer. This should be enough to carry you for a while."

"Brock no, I-I can't take this." Ash replied, trying to return the envelope to Brock. In response Brock raised his hands, refusing to take it back.

"Just hear me out real quick." Brock began. "I know how much you want to become a Pokemon trainer and…I really wanted to see you become one too. But looking back on it, I feel like I kind of pointed you in the wrong direction. I should've never told you to start working with the Red Skulls because…that's not the crowd of trainers you belong with. You're a competitor, not some hoodlum."

"But Brock-" Ash interjected, but his motioned for him to keep quiet. Brock sighed, lowering his head before he continued.

"I know what you're going to say Ash, but that won't change the truth. The Red Skulls do some shady stuff. My thoughts were clouded because I wanted to see you progress. It was faster and easier for you to meet and battle trainers working with the Red Skulls. But you were getting hurt, and it took me too long to realize that...that isn't the life for you." Brock went on.

" _If anything happens to Ash…I'll never forgive you Brock."_

Serena's warning should've helped him realize where Ash was headed.

Brock was just glad that Ash didn't commit to the Red Skulls. This gave him with a chance to right this ship.

"Take that money Ash." Brock said, looking directly at his buddy. "Quit your job, and focus on training. That way when the commissioner approves you as a professional trainer, you'll be ready to take on anyone in this city."

"Brock man …you-" Ash's voice faltered, causing him to look away from Brock. He sucked in lips, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.

Brock was truly the best friend he could have asked for, and this moment of reflection caused a smile to form on Ash's face. With a sniffle, Ash looked toward his best friend, grateful to know such an awesome person.

Seeing Ash's smile, Brock felt as though it was contagious as he started beaming as well. He then raised a closed fist toward Ash.

"Dude, let's make this happen." Brock stated, and Ash gave him a nod, tapping his knuckles against Brock's.

"You bet."

* * *

 **A/N**

So that wraps up this story arc, though it became a lot longer than when I had originally written it. There were all kinds of hints and motives I've tucked into the last few chapters for future events that I'm looking forward to uploading.

The question still remains if Cassidy will recover, and what could happen to the girls. But at the very least Ash has the comfort of knowing his friends have his back. What more could you ask for when the going gets tough?

Now the focus of the last few chapters surrounded the repercussions of Cassidy getting sick, so a lot of other subjects took the backseat for a while. Rest assured, the story will pick back up in the next chapter now that Ash has his sights set on joining the underground circuit. Starting from here things really get moving so I hope you're prepared to start exploring all of the twists and turns I have prepared for you guys.

Give me some feed back on...anything really, all of it is appreciated. If you wanna talk feel free to PM me, its always my pleasure!

Gotta give a shout-out to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt. This guy was a monster keeping up with me and all the work I gave him lol the past couple of months.

So just a heads up for everyone, that was the last chapter that I had prepped for a fast upload. I did my best to give you guys a new chapter once a week for the last month or so, and unfortunately that's not a pace I can maintain. In fact I'll admit that I killed the buffer chapters I had been holding onto just to do this. I'll be returning to my original schedule of roughly one update a month, maybe twice if I have the time. On the plus side, chapter 16 is already being polished between my beta and myself, so it'll be up soon.

It's been a blast guys, I'll see you all at the next update. Stay cool if you can and enjoy the summer!


	16. Glorious

**Chapter 16**

* * *

 **Saturday, November 12** **th**

5:00am.

Ash's digital alarm clock blared repeatedly, causing the young man to wince as this sound assaulted his ear drums. Hastily stepping over to his nightstand, Ash dropped his hand on the snooze button to silence all of the racket.

"Pi-kaaaa." Pikachu grumbled, holding its ears in an effort to spare itself the agitation of having its ears assaulted.

"Yeah, I'm not a fan of that sound either. But I need it to wake me up in the morning." Ash replied as he shut off the alarm for good, and Pikachu released its old on its ears which allowed them to straighten up.

"Pikapi-pikachu." His Pokemon suggested with a devilish grin, its cheeks beginning to crackle with electricity.

"How about _no._ " Ash said pointedly, declining Pikachu's offer. "Now come on, let's finish warming up."

Returning to their routine to, Ash and Pikachu performed lunges, twisted their sides and stretched out their arms. Once they completed these actions, the duo shared a glance, and it was followed by a quick nod agreement. It was time for them to get going.

Glancing out the window of his room, Ash could see that the sun had yet to grace them with its presence. There was still about and hour and half before sunrise, which gave them plenty of time to get out of town. Grabbing his sweater from his bed, Ash quickly threw it on over his shirt and grabbed is backpack. Leaving his room, Ash crept down to the kitchen with Pikachu on his shoulder, collecting an pen and paper to write a note which he had reached his destination.

 _Dear Shauna,_

 _I'll be out for the day. Should be back some time in the evening. Thanks for watching the girls today and you're free to help yourself to anything in the fridge or pantry._

 _Ash._

Adding a little smiley face beside his name, Ash placed the note on the fridge door using one of the magnets. He looked to Pikachu and gave his partner another nod.

"Let's get moving Pikachu." Ash said as they made their way to the front door. Ash took a moment to glance back into the living room where he saw Shauna sound asleep on the couch.

With a small wave, he slipped into his sneakers and opened up the door allowing Pikachu to dart out onto the sidewalk. Ash slipped out quietly and shut the door, locking it from the outside. Tucking his keys into the side of his backpack, Ash gave his home a two fingered salute as he stepped down to the sidewalk with Pikachu.

"Come on Pikachu, let's make some tracks." Ash said softly. The roads were almost empty this early in the morning. Hardly anyone in their neighborhood was awake at this time of the day, so the risk of Pikachu being seen was very low.

Together they ran along the sidewalk, setting a brisk jogging pace to make sure they didn't lose any time. They had a quite a ways to go before the sun was up.

Breathing through his nostrils, Ash enjoyed the cool crisp air. Pulling up the hood of his sweater, he matched his pace to Pikachu's who had been starting to pull away from him. Together they raced toward the edge of their neighborhood. The two story buildings gradually thinned out as they moved from one block to the next. The various city blocks soon united into one large road that led out of Vermilion City.

Ash looked around as he ran, spotting the freeway that was often used to reach the heart of Vermilion City. The road they were on would connect to it down the line, but their destination was farther along. Passing this ramp after a few minutes, Ash and Pikachu continued along the road which rose into a steady incline. The two of them began to huff and puff as they went up the hill, forcing themselves to maintain the pace they had set.

Their hearts were racing as they arrived at the top of the hill, and Ash threw his fist up in triumph before gasping for air. Throwing his head back as he caught his breath, Pikachu flopped onto its stomach with a groan.

This run was seven miles in total, and it only took them about an hour to reach the top of the hill. This was the same location that Ash and Pikachu had done their demonstration for Brock over a month ago. Ash really loved the view this hill provided of Vermilion City, not to mention if you looked to the north you also see a fair portion of Route 6.

Moving slowly, Ash and Pikachu went to the very top of the hill where they would be able to see both locations.

"Come here Pikachu." Ash said he took a seat on the grassy hill, taking off his backpack to retrieve one of the water bottles he had packed. The two of them shared a quick drink as they relaxed.

The past week had been easy going, which Ash welcomed warmly. After being plagued by thoughts of what direction to go with his life, it felt nice for things to go back to…normal. He nodded, glad to have a 'normal' week, but Ash knew that it was thanks in no small part to all of his friends.

All of them had gone through the trouble of twisting their work schedules so that they could help him watch Casey and Macy, and keep him in school. Trevor, Miette, Serena, Tierno and Valerie had each taken up the task of watching the girls once during the day this past week. This had given Ash the time to attend school freely again, and it was nice going back to his usual routine. He had been sorely missed by Dawn, May and Nando.

Upon returning to school, Ash had been called to the principal's office to explain his absence during the last week. Refusing to go into detail, Ash had to serve a week's worth of after school detention as punishment, though he would rather take detention than have the school snooping around his personal life.

In the afternoons and nights, Brock, Dawn, May and Shauna would watch the girls if he had to work, or they would just keep them company for the evening. It was a lot of fun having so many people around the house, and Ash could see Casey and Macy were enjoying it. Just as he had hoped, all the extra activity at home was a perfect distraction for Macy. She still asked about Cassidy from time to time, but not an ounce of effort was spared to entertain this small girl. Everyone adored her, and it was giving Macy ample opportunity to branch out beyond her family.

Ash was especially grateful for Shauna. She had come to his house every evening this past week to help out, even if she didn't have to be there. Macy had especially taken a liking to Shauna and her bubbly persona.

Ash had no idea where he would be right now without the help of his friends. He had been headed toward a dark place trying to handle everything on his own. He didn't realize it until they all forced him to take a step back and look at what he was going to do. Shaking his head, Ash knew that he had to find a way to thank them all properly…but what could he do?

What could possibly be the equivalent of all of the time and effort they were devoting to help him watch his sisters? What could he give them in exchange for the life they had opened up for him?

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, bringing Ash back to reality. The Pokemon was standing on its hind legs, pointing out to the east where the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon. The sky had brightened considerably in response to the light source, and Ash had to raise one hand to block some of the sunlight. The ray began to stretch out over the sky, piercing through some of the clouds above as the orange and blue tones blurred together.

"This is the beginning Pikachu." Ash stated as they admired the sunrise. Then he cupped his hands over his mouth and began to holler at the top of his lungs. "Our new life starts here…and we're gonna take the world by storm!"

"Pikachu!" His partner yelled in agreement, mimicking Ash's actions.

Hearing a car engine, the two of them looked down at the nearby parking lot were they spotted a familiar silver car. Once it parked, Ash grinned as the driver stepped out.

"Was that you two screaming?" Brock asked as he approached Ash and Pikachu with his hands in his pockets.

"Who else is it going to be Brock?" Ash asked him in return.

"So are you the two of you ready, because we got a lot to cover today." Brock revealed to them, causing Ash's grin to widen as he looked toward Pikachu.

"Brock, this is what we were born to do, ain't that right Pikachu?" The raven haired young man asked his partner who nodded confidently. Looking from trainer to Pokemon, Brock could see the excitement in their eyes, causing him to don a smile of approval. This was going to be great!

With the arrival of Brock, he gave Ash and Pikachu a ride further into Route 6 to another familiar sight - the clearing where Ash had first met and battled Giselle. The area was teeming with wild Pokemon, many of which had been observing them carefully. He figured that most of them would be asleep still like the people of Vermilion City, but his exposure to wild Pokemon was minimal at best. He had no idea what kind of rules there might had been out here, in the wild.

"So what's the first thing we're going to do Brock?" Ash asked as he pulled off his sweater. The air was already warming up now that the sun had risen, and Ash wasn't anxious to start sweating this early in the morning. "Are we going to battle some of the wild Pokemon out here?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down Ash." Brock declared, motioning for Ash and Pikachu to have a seat. "There's some stuff I want to talk to you about first. Some things I'm sure you might want to practice before you try to use it in a battle."

"Like what?" Ash asked curiously as he and Pikachu sat down on grass, looking up at Brock who remained standing.

"How about some new moves for starters?" Brock suggested, and Ash perked up immediately.

"New moves?" He asked giddily, a wide grin forming on his face at the prospect.

"Yeah man." Brock said with a smirk. "Remember when you and Pikachu showed me the moves you had been practicing?"

Ash gave him an nod.

"Well I saw some things the two of you could work on. Since you guys started training a little more seriously after that I figured I might as well wait to make sure Pikachu is ready for these moves before I show them to you." Brock explained, causing Pikachu to beam as it flexed its arms, a demonstration of its developing strength. Ash rolled his eyes at the gesture, snorting a bit which earned a narrow glance from Pikachu. "So Pikachu, can you show me your Agility?"

"Pika." It replied as it separated itself from them. Going down onto all fours, Pikachu tensed the muscles in its arms and legs, heightening its speed. It raced around the clearing, showing off speed before it came to a stop in front of Brock.

"Nice, you've gotten a tad bit faster than last time too." Brock noted, impressed that Pikachu hadn't grown rusty despite how little the two of them had been training for the last two weeks.

"So what is it you have to show us?" Ash asked eagerly. A new move for Pikachu was the most exciting thing to happen since they beat Giselle last month. With a new move in their arsenal they would surely be able to take on some of the tougher trainers in Vermilion City.

"Okay, so I've got two moves for you that I'm pretty sure Pikachu can handle." Brock revealed as he stood proudly. After years of watching Pokemon battles all over Vermilion City, the little bits of knowledge he had picked up listening to different trainers was finally paying off. He was like a true mentor for Ash, showing him and Pikachu how to expand their move pool. "So the first one is a move called Double Team. Have you guys seen it before?"

"No, but it sounds awesome!" Ash exclaimed in response.

"You got that right. Basically with this move, Pikachu can create duplicates of itself on the battlefield that it can attack with." Brock explained, and Ash's eyes widened at the idea of a mob of Pikachu's controlling the battlefield.

"Dude, why doesn't everyone use this move then?" Ash asked incredulously. "If you can have like ten copies of your Pokemon on the field, it shouldn't be a problem to overwhelm your opponent."

"They're not 'copies' Ash. Pikachu will be moving so fast that it's actually creating after-images of itself on the field. That's why only certain Pokemon can use it. You gotta be fast to make the best use of Double Team." Brock pointed out, causing Ash to look at Pikachu with pride. He knew for a fact that his buddy was one of the fastest Pokemon out there.

A new thought occurred to Ash. He had seen Pikachu use Agility many, many times yet he had never seen it create an after-image.

"So what exactly does Pikachu have to do to make an after-image of itself?" Ash inquired.

"It's all about acceleration. Pikachu already has the speed, but the hardest part of Double Team is the stop and start. To create those after-images, Pikachu has to stop and start at various spots where it'll leave image of itself. Pikachu is still in motion, but the brief moment where it isn't, is what creates that Double Team effect." Brock answered. It took a moment for that information to settle into Ash's mind, and then he began to formulate how to put that into use.

"So then, with Pikachu appearing like it's all over the field, we can use that like its one giant distraction!" Ash exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "That's going to be awesome! Pikachu, let's start practicing that right now!"

"Pika!" It shouted in agreement as they jumped to their feet.

"Hold on Ash, that's the second stage of what I wanted to show you guys today." Brock interjected before the two of them could get started.

"Why would you tell us that first then?" Ash asked him with a frown.

"For you to see the goalpost. That's what you and Pikachu can achieve, I just want you to understand that it's going to take some time and work to get there." Brock reminded them, and this quickly calmed the duo. They became quiet again, allowing Brock to resume his lesson.

"So what do we have to do to use Double Team?" Ash inquired with a sense of professionalism. Brock smirked now that Ash had regained his sense of maturity. It was funny how just talking about Pokemon would make him act like a ten year old.

"This is the first benchmark. It's called Quick Attack. Pretty self-explanatory right?" Brock asked, and Ash gave him a nod. It didn't take him any time at all to realize this attack revolved around using speed as a weapon. "With Quick Attack, you're using all of your speed to strike first."

Brock struck the palm of his hand creating an audible clap.

"It's perfect for breaking stalemates and knocking your opponent off balance for a few moments." Brock went on.

"So all Pikachu has to do is, run fast?" Ash asked rather skeptically. This was a basic attack, so Ash failed to see how it connected to Double Team.

"There's much more to it than that Ash. Like teaching Pikachu how to properly strike an opponent." Brock pointed out, causing both Ash and Pikachu to look at him funny.

"What do you mean? Hitting an opponent is easy, right Pikachu?" Ash said, and Pikachu gave a shout to back up Ash's statement.

"Not like that Ash. The purpose of Quick Attack is to create an opening to attack. So instead of looking to do damage with this very straight forward attack, you want to strike your opponent and knock them off balance like I said." Brock explained before motioning for Pikachu to stand up. "Pikachu, if you were going to attack me, where would you hit me?"

"Pi-kaaaa?" It asked, frowning slightly at Brock's question.

"Just do it lightly Pikachu." Ash said, and the Pokemon complied. It approached Brock slowly, and jumped into his chest, bounding off of him to land softly on its feet.

"Yeah, I thought you might be a little too direct with this attack." Brock noted with a nod of understanding.

"So it would be better if we attacked you from the side, is that what you mean?" Ash asked as he tried to figure out what Brock wanted to show them. Brock shook his head in response.

"Let's adjust your target Pikachu. With Quick Attack, you'll be moving faster than most opponents can track. So you should aim to something to stumble your opponent. Like the back of my knee." Brock suggested as he patted his knee, marking Pikachu's new target. Pikachu dashed around Brock now, and threw itself at the back of his leg causing his knee to buckle. Losing his balance, Brock caught himself with one hand to avoid a fall before turning around to grin at Pikachu. "See?"

"Heck yeah!" Ash exclaimed. "If we master Quick Attack, then we can make all sorts of combos with it right?"

"Now you're catching on." Brock said with a nod.

"So let's get started!" Ash proclaimed as he got back on his feet. "Pikachu, you can use me as a training dummy!"

Pikachu gave him a look of dismay, but Ash waved it off.

"Come on Pikachu, if you don't practice then you won't get the hang of it." Ash said to his Pokemon who shrugged, scratching the back of its head with one of its paws.

"Pi...Pika-chu." It warned him before going down on all fours.

"I wouldn't want you to hold back." Ash retorted, hitting his chest. His Pokemon smirked in response before it darted forward. Pikachu was moving so fast that its appearance became a blur that circled around Ash, looking for a moment to strike.

Brock observed quietly as Pikachu finally pounced at Ash, striking the back of his knee like it had done to Brock. Ash gave a yelp as he hit the ground, earning a call of concern from Pikachu who rushed to his side. Assuring his partner that he was alright, Ash rose to his feet and insisted that Pikachu go again.

Watching them resume their practice session, Brock could see that Ash was making the effort to track Pikachu's movement with his eyes. It was a tall task, but it was something Brock was certain Ash was up to. In fact, Brock had been planning to put Ash in this exact situation, though his friend volunteered to do it...not that Brock was surprised by this. If anything this was exactly what he should've expected.

After several attempts, Pikachu was finally caught by Ash. Watching his partner circle around him, Ash looked from his left to his right. There was always a brief moment where Pikachu would pause before attacking, and that was the moment Ash was looking for. Pikachu planted its feet and jumped at Ash's left leg again, however a hand was placed on its back before it reached its target. Being pressed against the ground, Pikachu looked up with Ash with its brow raised, shocked that Ash had stopped it.

"Not this time buddy." Ash stated, grinning at Pikachu.

Brock raised his eyebrows, pleased that his hunch concerning Ash had been confirmed. Some of the compliments that Giselle had given Ash were comments that would only be made about the most experienced trainers. Brock knew that Ash's battle experience was limited, and Pikachu was far from battle tested so he could only credit the qualities Ash did possess.

His battle sense was impeccable for such a young trainer. He was fully capable of reacting quickly and appropriately, but there was still room for improvement here. What really impressed Brock was Ash's vision. Ash's ability to react stemmed from his vision, or rather how well he could see what was taking place on the battlefield. Seeing Ash react in time to stop Pikachu only confirmed Brock's opinion of Ash.

This kid was going to be something else as a Pokemon trainer, and Brock would to stop at nothing to make sure he got there.

Ash caught Pikachu three times in a row, preventing it from landing an attack which caused the Pokemon to openly question how Ash was reacting so quickly.

"It's because you take a moment to decide where you're going to attack Pikachu." Ash explained as he kneeled down in front of his partner. "That moment you spend picking your target is all I need to figure out where you're attacking from."

"Pi-ka?" It asked him.

"Well I think you just need to practice it more. Until you don't need to think to land this attack." Ash went on. He could understand that practicing a new way to attack was making Pikachu hesitate in an effort to strike correctly. "Just keep coming at me, alright?"

"Pi!" It declared with a nod.

Their training continued, and just as Ash had said, Pikachu's hesitation gradually faded and it began to land consecutive attacks on Ash. Brock admired the two of them from afar, impressed with Ash as he called for Pikachu to keep going, barking words of encouragement to his partner. The two of them had practiced Quick Attack for two hours, and it was becoming abundantly clear to Brock that they would be content working on this one move all day.

"Come on Pikachu, you gotta be faster than that." Ash called out to his partner. While he could no longer stop Pikachu's attacks outright, Ash could still react quickly enough to avoid them with a sidestep. "Accelerate like you mean it Pikachu!"

Pikachu circled around Ash again, and at the call of its trainer, stepped hard before dashing at Ash. Brock raised his brow as Pikachu began to glow white, its speed increasing tenfold. It left after-images of itself as it collided with Ash, throwing him off his feet with a yelp.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu shouted with concern as it rushed over to Ash who had landed on his side with a groan. Pikachu began to apologize profusely to its trainer who sat up and grinned ear to ear at his Pokemon.

"Now _that's_ more like it, Pikachu!" Ash said happily, patting Pikachu on the head. Brock then clapped his hand loudly to get their attention.

"Just like that Pikachu!" Brock exclaimed. "That's Quick Attack at its highest level. A sudden acceleration to hit your opponent before they can react! That was perfect!"

"I agree." A new voice commented, causing Ash and Pikachu to glance back at Brock. To their surprise, they found Giselle standing beside him. How long had she been there?

"Giselle?" Ash exclaimed at the sight of her. "What are you doing here?"

"This is where I always train with Cubone. I think the real question is what are you doing here?" Giselle asked in return.

"Well Brock brought us here to train so..." Ash trailed off as he looked toward his friend. Seeing Brock smirk , Ash realized why Brock had selected this area for them to train. A reunion with Giselle, and a rematch.

"I see you've been adding some new moves. Care to see what Cubone and I have been practicing?" Giselle offered causing Ash and Pikachu to smile.

* * *

Raising its bone, Cubone blocked a tail strike from the airborne Pikachu with a grunt before throwing Pikachu backward. Rotating in the air, Pikachu landed comfortably on its feet and gave Cubone a sharp glance. Giselle frowned since this had been another even exchange where neither Pokemon had landed a solid hit. It had been roughly two weeks since their last battle, and Giselle had anticipated further growth from Ash and Pikachu so she and Cubone conducted some special training to combat Pikachu.

For such a fast Pokemon, Pikachu wasn't very skilled at dueling in close quarter combat. Her Cubone had no trouble predicting Pikachu's attacks in their prior battles, allowing it to fight Pikachu at close range and turn the tables on it at a few golden opportunities. However, today they could see that Pikachu was showing some improvement.

Cubone had been battling very defensively during their battle so far. Unlike their prior battles, Cubone was having little success keeping Pikachu at bay. The electric type was wasn't looking to do lots of damage to Cubone, rather it was doing everything it could to keep Cubone off balance and guessing where it would attack from next. So rather than planning how to counter Pikachu to get the upper hand, Giselle was stuck trying to break even in each exchange of attacks. It was simply a matter of time before Ash and Pikachu created the opening they were looking for.

"Let's go Pikachu, start with Agility!" Ash called out, and Pikachu darted forward. It darted around Cubone, forcing Cubone to grasp its bone tightly as it prepared to respond to Pikachu's next attack. "Now go in with Quick Attack!"

"Pika!" Pikachu barked as it glowed white and rushed at Cubone. Cubone turned, raising its bone to block Pikachu as it attacked from its left. Pikachu however, stopped itself on a dime and turned to take a different angle that it would attack from. Before Cubone even realized that it had fallen for a feint from Pikachu, it was struck from the opposite side which sent it to the ground tumbling.

"Awesome Pikachu, that's going in the bank!" Ash called out, impressed that Pikachu had thought to add a feint in on its own. Just throwing in a brief touch of misdirection could create so many opening for them! Ash bit down on his lower lip, fighting to keep in a smile.

He couldn't believe how deep and layered Pokemon battles were. He was now starting to dig beneath the surface, and it was amazing how much he had to learn. He couldn't wait to start putting all of this into practice!

"Come on Cubone, let's show them what we're made of." Giselle called out as her partner returned to its feet. Cubone then raised its bone above its head and hit its chest twice with a shout. Setting its gaze on Pikachu, Cubone motioned for Pikachu to attack it once again.

"Go Pikachu, give em' another taste of your Quick Attack again!" Ash commanded, pumping his fist excitedly. Pikachu nodded and burst forward, and to its surprise, Cubone charged as well. They met halfway and Cubone came out swinging. Pikachu was immediately forced to change its angle of attack, attempting to go for Cubone from behind. Cubone continued to swing wildly, closing off the angles Pikachu wanted to use. Keeping its distance for fear of taking a glancing blow, Pikachu came to a stop to stare at Cubone who turned to face it.

"What the heck?" Ash exclaimed. "Is Cubone just swinging its bone to keep Pikachu away?"

"Sometimes the best defense, is a good offense Ash." Giselle stated and he raised his brow at this statement.

So rather than waste time trying to anticipate Pikachu's attacks, they were actively looking to punish Pikachu for being so close to Cubone. Even getting grazed by that must've have been painful, and if Pikachu was clipped it might stagger it enough for Cubone to put in a good follow up attack. With a sigh, Ash knew that they would have to try something else.

"Pikachu, use Charge!" Ash called out. They would simply keep their distance and rely on Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Pikachu's cheeks began to crackle with electricity before a halo of lightning formed around it.

"Cubone, this is our chance, get Pikachu with Bone Rush!" Giselle shouted quickly. Despite all of the respect she was gaining for Ash, he still found a way to remind her that he was only a novice as a trainer. An electrical attack from Pikachu wouldn't do a thing to Cubone, and unfortunately he would have to learn that lesson the hard way.

"Now use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted as Cubone charged at Pikachu. With a shout, Pikachu unleashed a large bolt of electricity at the approaching Cubone. To the surprise of both Ash and Pikachu, Cubone was hit by the bolt but pressed forward with the same tenacity. Reaching Pikachu even as it was being zapped mercilessly, Cubone lashed out at Pikachu with its bone.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed as its Thunderbolt attack was brought to an abrupt end. Cubone struck Pikachu in rapid succession, wrapping up this quick combo with a blow to Pikachu's body that sent it skidding back to Ash.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted as it ran over to his Pokemon. Pikachu remained motionless as it laid on the grass, its small eyes now replaced with a pair of black swirls. "Ouch, that was the knockout punch."

"Yo Ash, catch!" Brock called out as he tossed him a Potion. Ash caught the item easily, using it to treat Pikachu as Giselle and Cubone approached them.

"That was some finishing move there. You didn't let up one bit." Ash commented as he glanced at Cubone. The small Pokemon gave him a nod, pleased to have someone complement its newly developed Bone Rush attack. "I gotta tell you, your Cubone is something else taking Pikachu's Thunderbolt like it was nothing."

"You know, I was wondering if your Pikachu knew any electric type attacks." Giselle noted as she approached him. "I haven't seen you guys use one before."

"Oh yeah, Pikachu's got its Thunderbolt attack down pat. I just don't like using it in a battle because we have to use Charge first, and that just feels like a waste of time." Ash explained to her. "Since we couldn't get close to your Cubone today, it seemed to be safer to battle from a distance with Thunderbolt."

Giselle snorted, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Battle a Cubone with Thunderbolt? Ash was something else.

"Ash, do you know about the different types of Pokemon?" She asked him.

"Yeah of course." He replied, scooping up Pikachu from the ground in one arm.

"So you should know that there are types that have certain advantages and disadvantages." Giselle continued, and Ash nodded again.

"Yeah, I know that too. Fire beats grass. Grass beats water. Water beats fire." Ash responded, listing a few examples for her. "And there's others too, but I haven't seen all of them yet."

"Well you missed one in our battle. Electric type attacks like Thunderbolt, have no effect on Cubone because it's a ground type." Giselle stated and Ash gained an expression of shock.

"For real?!" He exclaimed.

"Actually..." Brock began sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "That's my bad. I was just saying how I wanted to be a good mentor for you and everything Ash...I have to admit that I've been doing a pretty bad job up until this point."

Brock laughed at the poor choices he had made in terms of developing Ash as a trainer. One mistake had been sending Ash to the Red Skulls to start getting more battle experience. However the biggest mistake by far was him not covering the fundamentals with Ash and Pikachu. Basic strategies, type advantages and the like. Brock had spent all his time showing Ash the glitz and glamour, taking him to see some of the best trainers in Vermilion City. Ash had learned a few tricks watching those trainers and it had set a clear goal for him, but Brock had done a poor job establishing the pathway to surpassing these trainers. Hopefully he could correct all of this with Ash aiming to join the underground circuit.

Giselle was at a loss for words as she stared at Ash. His skill and inexperience left her to wonder just what kind of trainer he could become.

If he could hold his own against her without even knowing some of the basics, what would he look like with a solid foundation?

The greatest trainer...ever?

"Well geez, I'm sorry Pikachu. If I hadn't called for that Thunderbolt you wouldn't have been hit like that." Ash said to his unconscious Pokemon. "It looks like we still have a lot to learn."

* * *

The sun was overhead, beating down on the group who had to seek refuge beneath the shade of the trees. It had been roughly two hours since their battle with Giselle, affording Pikachu plenty of time to recover from its battle with Cubone. Pikachu regained consciousness soon after the battle was over, but Ash decided that it would be best to rest, so Brock and Giselle began to introduce him to the mental aspects of Pokemon battling and training.

The amount of information Giselle was prepared to dump on him was beyond what Ash could have expected. It was a lot to take in, and to Ash's surprise Giselle considered everything that she shared with him to be part of the basics.

"How many types are you familiar with Ash?" Giselle asked as they sat on the field. Ash looked up, briefly thinking the types he knew.

"Eight." He replied, causing Giselle to deadpan.

"Which eight?"

"Fire, water, grass, electric, poison, flying, dark and fighting. Oh, and ground types from today." Ash added.

"Okay, so we have a lot to cover then Ash." Giselle noted with a sigh as she took out her phone. "The reception isn't that great out here so forgive me how long this takes to load."

Passing her phone to Ash, Giselle began to show him a website. The main page was decorated with pictures of Pokemon that Ash never seen before.

"What's this?" Ash asked.

"You have to keep quiet about this." Giselle began. "This website has to remain a secret, alright."

"Why's that?" Ash inquired as Brock joined him, looking over Ash's shoulder to see for himself.

"This is the website about the underground circuit isn't it? The PokeHub." Brock said, earning a nod from Giselle.

Brock had heard about the Poke-Hub. No one really knew when this site was put together, or who started it, but it proved to be an invaluable resource for trainers everywhere. It started off as a means to track trainers that took part in the underground circuit, providing videos of their performances. As the website evolved, trainers could create accounts and provide live broadcasts of their battles as long as they were registered with the underground circuit.

Not only that, it had become a hub of information with regards to almost all Pokemon. Data that trainers had gathered about Pokemon was shared among them. It wasn't long until this website became the greatest collection of information and events concerning Pokemon.

This website was kept under lock and key. A nine digit access code was required to enter the PokeHub that was changed on a bi-weekly basis. As the code was refreshed, it was released to a trusted group that would then start a trickle-down effect. The code was only shared among those who could be trusted with it, and the security of the PokeHub was heavily discussed as someone new was added to the list of people to receive the access code. All this effort was put forth not only to protect trainer's whose identity was recorded within the PokeHub, but this was the one place where research concerning Pokemon wasn't brought under any scrutiny.

"Giselle, would you mind sharing the access code with us?" Brock asked earnestly. Even with how actively he followed the Pokemon scene, he had yet to encounter a trainer who was willing to share the access code with him. He couldn't blame them since they had been told not share it openly when they first received it.

Giselle looked at him skeptically for a moment, but then she looked at Ash. All of the information within the PokeHub would be priceless for Ash. If he had constant access to it there was no telling how quickly he could improve.

"When we're done, I'll add you guys to my contact list. I'll send it to you whenever a new access code comes out." She replied before opening a page for Ash. On it was a list of all the known Pokemon types, half of which he hadn't listed when asked about them. Ash made a face upon discovering how many types there actually were. "So this is a list of all the types Ash, and this is their advantages and disadvantages."

The list was expanded, showing all of the possible match ups and how they did against each other. Ash was in awe at all of this.

Dark types had a huge advantage against psychic types.

Normal types didn't effect ghost types.

Under each type listing, Ash could see a few images of Pokemon that fell into these categories. With some Pokemon, it was pretty obvious what type they were, while others were harder, and some were surprising. Learning their strengths and weaknesses would prove to be the most valuable lesson Ash learned today.

"How come there's no pictures of a dragon type Pokemon?" Ash asked after reading through the information about this type.

"Dragon types? We don't actually know if they exist." Giselle responded, causing Ash to furrow his brow. "We don't have any confirmed sightings of them. There's been several documents from a long time ago with images and information about dragon types. No one has seen one, so some researchers think that they might have gone extinct."

"Really, Pokemon can go extinct?" The notion sounded so foreign to Ash. He never imagined them...dying.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't think much of it. We're just assuming that they're extinct because we can't find any. We could be wrong for all we know." Giselle pointed out with a shrug. "All that is beside the point, let's focus on what you need to know to get stronger. Pikachu is an electric type, so what type of Pokemon have a huge advantage against Pikachu?"

"That would be ground types like your Cubone, because electric type attacks don't effect them." Ash replied, earning a nod of satisfaction from Giselle.

"Good Ash. Its important to keep track of the trainers that use a ground type Pokemon to avoid a bad match up for your Pikachu." Giselle said as she opened up the roster page of the website, showing Ash all of the top trainers in Vermilion City along with their record in official matches and what Pokemon they used in battle. "Fortunately, there's not that many trainers with a ground type Pokemon, so you and Pikachu won't have to think about it too much."

"Well that's one thing working out in our favor." Ash noted as he glanced at his partner. It was seated beneath the adjacent tree next to Giselle's Cubone, making small talk with its previous opponent. Through their many battles, the two of them had gotten to know each other pretty well. As their trainers talked, the two of them held a conversation of their own.

Rolling his shoulders a bit, Ash was anxious to stretch his muscles. He had been seated well over two hours, and all of this new information filled him with an urge to get back to their training.

"You know what, I think it's time to move around a little bit." Ash said as he jumped to his feet, returning Giselle's phone to her. "Come on Pikachu, let's do some sprints."

"Pika!" It declared as jumped up as well. Together they rushed off to the other side of the clearing where Ash set a point that they would be running to. As this took place, another trainer entered the clearing, taking a long glance around the area before he spotted a familiar face in Giselle.

"Excuse me!" He called out, waving to Giselle who met him off to the side of the clearing. "You're Giselle right?"

"Yeah, that would be me." Giselle replied as Brock joined her.

"I'm here for a battle." He stated, taking out a Pokeball from his pocket. Giselle raised a hand to stop him.

"Sorry, I'm not accepting challenges today." She declared, causing the young man to look at her incredulously.

"Are you serious? It took me an hour to get out here and you're just going to send me away?" He exclaimed, but Giselle pointed to Ash.

"If you really want to battle someone, that kid is looking for an opponent." She explained, causing him to look at Ash once again. Seeing him and Pikachu dashing from one side of the clearing to the other, he frowned a bit. He didn't recognize Ash.

"Who's that?" He asked, and Brock cut in now.

"That's Ash Ketchum."

"Who?"

"He's on the rise. I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you." Brock said, a smirk forming on his face now that it was clear he had piqued this trainer's interest.

"On the rise...alright, let's see what he's got." The trainer said as he took a few steps away from Brock and Giselle. "Hey Ash, my name is Ken and I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"

Ash and Pikachu came skidding to a halt upon hearing the challenge. He could hardly believe his ears! That was the first time a trainer had ever challenged him to a Pokemon battle!

"Uh, w-w-we accept!" Ash bumbled in response before calling for Pikachu to take its place on the field. "Alright Pikachu, this is the first time anyone has challenged us. Let's give it everything we've got!"

"Pi-pikapi!" Pikachu declared as it went onto its hind legs, puffing out its chest with confidence.

"Aipom, let's show them what we're made of!" Ken shouted as he hurled his Pokeball into the air. The device cracked open, releasing a purple monkey that balanced itself on its tail. Ash and Pikachu marveled at the sight of it, eager to see how it would battle them.

"Whoa, I've never seen that Pokemon before." Ash admitted, causing Ken to smirk.

"Then you're in for a special treat." Ken replied as Brock and Giselle retreated to the edge of the clearing. "Aipom, let's start off with Fury Swipes."

Aipom's front paws began to sparkle which gathered together into three lengthy claws as it lowered itself down to its feet. Upon touching the ground it burst forward, racing toward Pikachu on all fours to cover the distance between them quickly.

"Pikachu, use Agility and keep your distance." Ash called out after witnessing Aipom's speed. Pikachu also went down onto all fours and darted to its left to avoid Aipom's initial swipe. To everyone's surprise with the exception of Ken, Aipom had no trouble keeping up with Pikachu. Ducking beneath another swipe from Aipom, Pikachu backed away but its opponent continued to stubbornly create a close combat situation.

Ash was shocked that Aipom was actually keeping up with Pikachu. None of their previous opponents could match the speed and pace Pikachu battled at. Closely observing this game of cat and mouse, Ash soon realized that Aipom wasn't actually as quick as Pikachu. It was using its tail and reaction time to bridge the gap in speed. With every attempt Pikachu made to keep its distance, Aipom reacted accordingly and used the immense strength within its tail to propel itself in the direction Pikachu had gone. The speed advantage Ash was hoping to use had been neutralized, and the battle quickly fell into a stalemate.

"Pikachu, we're going to be aggressive here. Stay at close range and use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded. Pikachu came skidding to a halt allowed Aipom to locate it and lunge in for another attack. However, Pikachu began to glow white and burst forward to meet Aipom halfway. It had been caught off guard by Pikachu's sudden one eighty, allowing the electric type to land a decent blow to Aipom's body. This sent it tumbling away from Pikachu, who raced forward to follow up on this attack.

"Aipom, Pikachu's coming at you. Use your tail!" Ken called out quickly. Using the hand at the end of its tail, Aipom grabbed onto the field to stop itself from rolling. Its tail stretched with a freakish level of elasticity allowing Aipom to slingshot itself back at Pikachu whose eyes widen at Aipom's recovery. Balling up the hand on its tail into a fist, Aipom smashed it straight into Pikachu's nose which sent it rolling back to Ash with a yelp.

"Pikachu! Are you okay?" Ash asked his partner as it fought to get back up, placing one of its paws on its nose.

"Fury Swipes!" Ken barked, and Aipom's assault continued. In just a few moments it was in front of Pikachu, beginning to land consecutive swipes all over Pikachu's body. One after another, Aipom continued to whittle away at Pikachu while Ash observed closely.

"Left right Pikachu!" Ash called out, raising his hands as if he were a boxer. "Left right!"

Pikachu grunted after taking another hit before it raised its paws just like Ash, batting away Aipom's next to attacks. It came in the order Ash had shouted, giving Pikachu and opportunity to strike back. Slamming it's forehead into Aipom's, this briefly stunned the monkey Pokemon as it stumbled backward.

"Hmm, not bad." Ken remarked, impressed that Ash could make such a call out in such a short space of time. Perhaps this kid was the real deal.

"Alright Pikachu! Now use Charge!" Ash ordered, seeing that they would have some time before Aipom could react to this. Watching as Pikachu developed an electrical halo around itself, Ken knew that this was his time to strike.

"Aipom they're wide open, get Pikachu with Double Hit!" Ken shouted, pointing at Pikachu. Aipom shook its head a bit to focus before dashing at Pikachu, readying its tail to land another blow.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted hastily, seeing that Aipom would be able to attack before Charge was complete. With hardly any time to prepare the attack, Pikachu unleashed a torrent of electricity as Aipom struck it. Shrieking as it was shocked by Pikachu, Aipom was launched backward leaving Pikachu to slump over from the punch to its stomach.

Each trainer called out to their respective Pokemon as they laid on the grassy field, waiting to see who would first to rise up.

"Pi-ka." Pikachu groaned as it gradually rose to its feet, a hand on its stomach.

"Aipom." Aipom breathed out, wincing as got back up as well. There was electricity crackling around its fur, a clear sign that paralysis had been induced on it.

"Crap." Ken muttered, realizing that fortune had smiled Ash's way during that last exchange.

"Pikachu, can you keep going?" Ash asked his partner. It gave him a thumbs up in response and Ash nodded, knowing that they had to finish the battle here. Another hit and Pikachu was done for, although the same could be said for Aipom. "Use Quick Attack!"

"Aipom, keep it away with Swift!" Ken yelled, desperately trying to think of a way to prolong the battle. Pikachu drew in a deep breath before it went down on all fours again, charging toward its target. Aipom swung its tail through the air, unleashing a wave of golden stars to impede Pikachu's approach.

This little strategy worked once, forcing Pikachu away from Aipom, but Pikachu and Ash quickly realized what they had to do. It was just like they had been practicing.

"Pick a side and go for it Pikachu!" Ash called out, throwing his fist in the air.

Pikachu dove in again at Aipom, mustering all the strength it could. Aipom lashed out with its tail, firing off another Swift attack to keep Pikachu away. This time however, the stars phased right through the electric type Pokemon.

"Wait, what?" Ken exclaimed as Pikachu now appeared beside Aipom, its body glowing white. It burst forward, leaving after-images of itself before it collided with Aipom which sent it flying back to its trainer. Ken kneeled down, catching Aipom to save it from any further injury. Even in its trainer's arms, Aipom fought to get back on its feet but Ken motioned for it to relax. "It's alright Aipom, you did great today. They got us. I wasn't expecting a Double Team."

Aipom winked at its trainer before it's body went limp in his arms. Taking out its Pokeball, Ken returned it to safety before looking toward Ash and Pikachu.

"That's it? We did it?" Ash asked, and Ken raised his right hand to concede the match. Ash beamed with pride as he ran over to Pikachu, snatching it from the ground to raise it up into the air. "We did it Pikachu! We won!"

"Pika-chu!" It added happily as the two of them celebrated this victory.

"You're pretty good kid." Ken noted as he approached Ash and Pikachu. "That Double Team at the end caught me by surprise. People don't usually use that move with only one copy."

"I think one copy is all we can manage at the moment." Ash admitted, scratching his cheek with a chuckle.

"So are you aiming for the underground circuit?" Ken inquired.

"You bet!" Ash replied with a grin. "Isn't that what you're working toward?"

"Uh..." Ken squinted as he looked away from Ash. "I'm not really sure. I've heard it's a whole different kind of game if you ever battle some of the elite trainers. So if I had to be honest, I don't really think I have what it takes. I was hoping a battle with Giselle would help me figure out where I rank since she's as good as the rest of them."

Ash glanced at the young woman that had been acting as his instructor today. He had battled her so many times now that he had forgotten how she measured up against other trainers. If Ken's statement was true...then that meant Ash was at least as good as some of the other circuit trainers. Grinning broadly at this thought, Ash was eager to resume his training with Pikachu.

"So is she training you or something?" Ken inquired as he took a moment to admire the dark haired beauty that was talking with Brock.

"Yeah she's been like a training partner for me and Pikachu." Ash answered with a nod.

"Hmm, nice. Well the best of the luck to ya, I'm sure you'll for far." Ken said as he gave Ash a parting nod.

Ken approached Giselle, thanking her for suggesting a match with Ash. They spoke for a few moments before Ken went on his way. Ash had spent that time treating Pikachu with a Potion to ease the aches and pain it was experiencing.

"That was great Pikachu. That Double Team at the end was-" Ash could only beam with pride at his Pokemon, and Pikachu returned this smile. "-it was awesome!"

The clap of a pair of hands gained Ash's attention, and he turned to see Giselle and Brock joining him at the center of the clearing.

"Okay Ash, I think this is a good opportunity for you to analyze your battle." Giselle began and Brock nodded in agreement.

"I won so what do I need to look back at?" Ash questioned her, causing Giselle to motion for him to take a seat.

"You did win, but think about the cost of winning." Giselle pointed out. "Were there any attacks that Pikachu could've avoided being hit by? Was there a better choice you could've made?"

"Oh. I get what we're doing." Ash nodded, and their review session commenced. They went over his battle from beginning to end.

"Just keep in mind Ash, this is constructive criticism." Giselle reminded him, and he gave her a nod. Frankly, Ash couldn't care less what sort of criticism she had, he just wanted to hear her honest opinion of how he had battled. "So to start, I like that at the beginning of the battle you and Pikachu were defensive. It was a good choice to give you guys some time to notice some of Aipom's tendencies. I think you got a little antsy seeing Aipom keep up with Pikachu, and called for an attack way too early."

"At that point all we were doing was running. I felt like fighting back was the right call." Ash reasoned.

"I can understand your line of thinking, but Pikachu isn't that great at close quarter combat yet, so sending it to fight a Pokemon that can attack with three different limbs wasn't the best idea." Giselle explained, which caused Ash to lower his shoulders at his lack of forethought. "Pikachu took a lot of hits in order for you to land just one good attack at that range. That's not a fair trade off for you. I will point out that you made a good read on Aipom's attack pattern when it was using Fury Swipes."

Ash thanked her, and quickly motioned for her to continue. Seeing his earnest expression, she was glad to know that Ash was looking to improve at every opportunity. That bode well for his future.

"Now you're call for Charge wasn't the best. You had just landed an attack that bought you a few moments, but not nearly enough time for Pikachu to be ready to reengage." Giselle explained, and Ash agreed. He had been forced to call for a Thunderbolt before Pikachu was ready. "I feel like that was the most questionable choice you made during the battle."

"It did work out in your favor because that contact with Pikachu paralyzed Aipom." Brock added.

"Good point." Giselle noted. "And then to wrap up the battle, I'll admit that you and Pikachu used that misdirection flawlessly. Backing away from that Swift attack the first time made your opponent _think_ you couldn't get past it. So he called for it again to try and stop you, and _that_ would be his own undoing."

"Yup, you got him good Ash." Brock said, giving his friend a thumbs up.

"That was all Pikachu." Ash stated, looking down at his partner who smiled sheepishly. "Even that Double Team at the end, that was all Pikachu."

"Well I must say you have quite the partner Ash. You learn quickly huh Pikachu?" Giselle asked the small Pokemon as she stooped down to pet it. It cooed in response, blushing a little bit.

'You learn almost as quickly as your trainer...' She noted, placing a finger against her cheek in thought.

"We still have a lot to work on, right Pikachu?" Ash asked, and Pikachu gave a shout of agreement. "I gotta learn all of the type advantages and disadvantages. Then we have to work on our speed and endurance so that you can master Double Team. Plus there's close quarter combat...wow, this is going to be so much fun Pikachu!"

The prospect of sinking hours upon hours each day practicing excited Ash. He couldn't wait to start devoting time regularly to improve with Pikachu.

* * *

"Can you believe it Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner who was perched on his shoulder.

The two of them stood on the hill where their day had started. The sun was setting, the skies now filled with vibrant oranges and reds as the golden sphere descended toward the horizon.

"Pi-ka?" It asked in return, glancing at him curiously.

"I mean, that we're actually doing this?" Ash clarified, and his Pokemon nodded at him.

"Pi-pikachu. Pi-ka!" It declared for him, and Ash agreed wholeheartedly. This was everything they had dreamed about for years. Now they were finally getting a chance to live it!

Giselle had taught them so much in just one day that Ash was overwhelmed despite his enthusiasm. It was so much to take in, the strategies, the types, the fundamentals, the battling styles. Ash had no idea how much depth there was to being a Pokemon trainer and participating in battles.

The first thing she had shown them was the battling style that he and Pikachu would likely be focusing on. This style emphasized the use of speed and misdirection to control the tempo of the battle. Moves such as Agility and Double Team would become their bread and butter, allowing them to mislead their opponent and then capitalize on the misplay. It sounded incredible in theory, the real test was executing this in an actual battle. They had found some success today, but consistency was the key.

They had also learned about some of the styles they would soon be facing. With the approach Ash and Pikachu would using, it was important to have an idea of what their opponent was thinking.

There were trainers that preferred to use tank-like, powerhouse Pokemon. Their whole plan was take hits and dish out more damage than their opponent could handle. They wanted to take their opponent through the wringer, winning the battle through grit, determination and raw power. This was probably the worst match up for Pikachu and Ash, but Giselle made it a point to tell them that everyone had their weakness. Just because their opponent might have been bigger than Pikachu didn't make them invincible.

Then there were trainers like Giselle that battled defensively. This style was used primarily to give the trainer time to dissect the tendencies of their opponent and develop a suitable counter. It took great patience to use this style correctly, in order to land one decisive blow that would turn the tides of the battle your favor. Ash wasn't too fond of this style, and this caused Giselle to stress how important it was for him to take time and understand the trainer and Pokemon he was facing.

The seven seconds or less strategy sounded like so much fun to Ash. It involved battling at a very high pace. It was very simple and straightforward, if you have failed to land an attack in seven seconds, it was time to call for a new one. It involved thinking on the fly and trying to act on any opening your opponent gave you. Battling like this required incredible endurance from the Pokemon, especially if the battle became drawn out. Nonetheless, Ash was hoping to one day have this style in his arsenal as well.

It had gotten late by the time they had covered all this, and Giselle promised to go over close quarter combat with them next time they met. Everyone exchanged contact information, and Giselle shared the current access code with them to use the PokeHub. During the ride back home, Ash suddenly had an itch to do some running, and requested that Brock drop him off on the hill they had met on this morning.

Now as he and Pikachu observed the sunset over Vermilion City, Ash grinned heartily.

"We're gonna do it Pikachu! We're gonna be the best in the whole damn city!" Ash hollered, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu shouted, mimicking its trainer.

Taking one step forward, Ash broke out in a sprint, racing down the hill. He placed a hand on top of his cap to prevent it from flying off. Pikachu gave a shout of delight feeling the breeze against its cheeks.

Ash beamed as he raised his free hand into the air, reaching out toward the sun.

No...not just Vermilion City.

They were going to be the best there ever was!

* * *

 **A/N**

So as I said before, a lot of subjects took the backseat for the last few chapters, but believe me the next few are going to be something special, at least in my opinion. I can't wait for you all to see what I have in store!

Inspiration for this chapter goes out to 'Glorious' by Macklemore feat. Skylar Grey. If you haven't heard that song, well I don't know how you haven't since its been all over the radio, anyway just check it out. Easily one of my favorite songs from 2017.

This chapter also had a little something tucked into that's going to resurface quite a few times in the future. The PokeHub is basically a collection of all the social media we use in real life, though its specifically for trainers. I won't go into too much detail about what else the PokeHub is used for, but just keep an eye out for it in future chapters.

My battles are still a work in progress. I think I've got the basics down, but now I'm trying to weave in the finer details to take them to another level. My first significant battle will be coming up in a few chapters, so I'm trying to get in a lot of practice before we reach it.

A big thanks to all those who have been following this story, it's so nice talking to you guys from time to time. Feel free to give me any feedback if you feel the need.

Once again I gotta give my beta reader MjrGenMatt a thanks for his help and support!

The next chapter has just been shipped off to my beta, so it'll be up in the coming weeks. In the meantime stay cool and drink lots of water kids, it's too freakin' hot!


	17. Hidden Depths

**Chapter 17**

* * *

 **Sunday, November 13th**

Throwing open the front entrance to his home, Ash gave a cheerful call of 'I'm home!' to those present inside. Looking toward the entrance of the living room where he could hear the television running, Ash frowned with disappointment that no one had come to greet him. Sticking out his tongue as he kicked off his shoes, he kneeled down and removed his backpack, releasing Pikachu. Quickly climbing out of the bag with an exclamation of gratitude, Pikachu shook its fur before it scampered off into the living room to see who was here today.

Following his partner to the living room, Ash found Pikachu already resting comfortably in the lap of May as she stroked its back. Pikachu gave a content yawn with an expression of glee as May massaged it. It had been another long day of work for Pikachu, and nothing felt better than having its back rubbed.

Ash and Pikachu had taken full advantage of their freedom during the weekend, using this time to train all day with Giselle like they had the day before. Ash was loving every minute of this, but sadly he had school the next day so they had the cut the training short. He would've stayed out for at least another hour, but since Dawn and May were watching the girls today, he knew he had to relieve them early to make sure they didn't get into any trouble. Ash still couldn't believe that they had agreed to help him with such a big responsibility, and he thanked them graciously at every opportunity.

Taking a seat on the arm of the sofa beside May, Ash asked how their day had gone. Macy had taken charge in explaining what they had for lunch, and how they had gone to the park in the afternoon. Now they were absorbed in a movie that May had brought, one of her keepsakes from her childhood.

Macy was absolutely enthralled with the movie. It was geared toward her age group, centered around the life of a kidnapped princess, but it still managed to hold the interest of the older audience through the captivating story of how the princess was rescued by her soon to be prince charming. Once the movie had ended, Dawn and May said their goodbyes, promising Macy that they would be back again tomorrow. Ash saw them off, waving to them from the stairway in front of his home as they drove off.

Returning inside, he saw that it was almost nine o'clock and called for the girls to get ready for bed. Casey stuck her tongue out in response but complied with Ash's direction. Ash snatched up Macy in his arms and took her up to her room. She shared the events of the day with him once again, relating how much fun she had with Dawn and May. Ash was glad that Macy had taken such a liking to everyone that was watching her. It was keeping her mind off of Cassidy for the time being, and he was grateful for that.

Now in her room, Ash set Macy down on her bed and placed her covers over her. She babbled away the whole time for him, but was finally silenced when he placed a kiss on her forehead. Before he could say goodnight, Macy popped a question for him.

"Ashy, are you gonna sing for me?" She asked sweetly, and Ash could only stare at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"What for Macy?" Ash inquired as he took a seat beside her on her bed. She had never asked for anything like this before.

"Everybody sings for me before bed." She pointed out, and Ash furrowed his brow. Since when? "First was Shauna, then Serena. After that was...May."

Macy listed the people that had sung for her already and was Ash shocked that she had indeed listened everyone that had watched her for the past week. Clearly, this had become a routine that she was already grown accustomed to, and it appeared as though she wouldn't be making an exception for him.

"Did you like having them sing to you?" Ash asked her, and she gave him a big nod, her eyes sparkling.

"Now I want you to sing for me." Macy said eagerly, and Ash gave a nervous chuckle. He had heard Serena and Shauna sing before and already knew that he couldn't hold a candle to them. Fortunately, Macy had also mentioned that Brock had sung for her, so at the very least Ash had to be better than him.

"Alright Macy, but I'll let you know, I'm not that good at singing." Ash said to her, but she waved off his warning.

"Ashy, you're the best!" She declared, motioning for him to start.

Ash gulped audibly, running through his mind for something to sing to her. Settling on the song Brock had sung to him just a week ago, Ash cleared his throat and began to sing for Macy. She looked at him earnestly at first, a smile on her face, but as he continued her smile gradually faded. Seeing her excitement disappear, Ash's voice faltered and he solemnly admitted that he was finished.

"Okay Ashy, you're not the best singer." Macy noted, placing her small hand on top of his own to comfort him. Ash laughed a bit at her statement, thanking her for being so nice.

"So who did you like the most Macy, Shauna or Serena?" Ash figured that his question would take some time for Macy to answer, but she already knew what to say.

"May."

"May?" Ash repeated, looking down at her.

"Yeah. She's the best." Macy said, and Ash raised his eyebrows. That phrase had always been used for him exclusively, not that he minded of course. He just hadn't been expecting May to be the answer.

"Hmm. I guess I'll just have to hear her myself then. Alright, get some sleep Macy, I'll see you in the morning." Ash said to himself as he leaned over, placing another kiss on Macy's forehead. Tucking in her covers, he rose from the bed and left the room, shutting off the light as he did so.

* * *

 **Monday, November 14th**

Fantina clapped her hands, calling for her students' attention as she stood at the front of the classroom. The room quickly became quiet, and Fantina welcomed her students to a new week of classes.

Ash yawned quietly as he leaned back into his seat, lazily watching Fantina as she quickly reviewed their discussion from last Friday. He didn't care much for the art history lessons Fantina gave, but he enjoyed seeing some of the classical work that was done centuries ago.

"And today, we will be starting a _spécial_ three week group project." Fantina declared to her class, most of which perked up at this. Last week had mostly been lessons from Fantina so that she could give them one of the few tests she gave during the year. The mention of something a little more active was a welcome relief for her students. "With all of the-" Fantina frowned, searching her mind for the word she wanted to use. "-lectures, we had last week, I want to see what you have learned. So I will be putting you in teams of three and assigning a period of time to each group. The three of you will then be tasked with recreating a piece done from the time period you've been assigned."

This got her students' full attention as they all anxiously waited to see who they would be working with. Approaching her desk, Fantina looked to the list she had made, beginning to read off groups for the class.

As the groups began to form, May found herself anxiously waiting in her seat to hear her name called. She was hoping that she was paired with Ash or Dawn. It didn't matter which of the two, but just someone that could offset how little May would contribute. The brunette was as far from artistic as one could be, so she was hoping that one of Ash or Dawn would come to her rescue. May could hardly contain her surprise when her name was finally called.

"May Maple, Ash Ketchum and Dawn Berlitz." Fantina stated.

"What?" May exclaimed, receiving everyone attention.

"Is something the matter _mademoiselle_?" Fantina inquired as she looked toward May. In response May began to laugh sheepishly, her cheeks becoming red with embarrassment. She didn't mean to have an outburst, but she couldn't believe how lucky she was. Being with both Ash and Dawn meant there was no chance that she could have a negative impact on this project.

Once Fantina had finished putting the groups together, she encouraged her class to begin brainstorming because the project was due in two weeks. Pulling three desks together near the back of the room, Ash, Dawn, and May sat together to begin working. The time period they would be studying was roughly a century ago. The early modern era.

"Fantina didn't really cover this one now that I think about it." Dawn noted as she and May looked through their notes on this time period. "Ash, how much to do you have?"

"Huh...uh..." Ash covered his notes with his arm, causing both Dawn and May shoot him a look of confusion. "Not much, like you guys."

"Can I see what you have?" Dawn asked him skeptically, and Ash looked away from her.

"You're hiding something aren't you Ash?" May proclaimed as she leaned over, beginning to poke at Ash's sides. He began to squirm, being forced to raise his arms which allowed Dawn to snatch the papers he had been hiding. Dawn briefly scanned his page for a few moments before looking up at Ash in a deadpan.

"Ash, do you even take notes?" Dawn asked as she set down the papers for May to see.

"We're in art class, why would I take notes?" Ash retorted as May looked over the pages Dawn had passed to her. While Dawn had taken some detailed notes about the material Fantina had covered in class, Ash had nothing more than a bunch of doodles on each of the pages. He dated each page, but it was nothing but sketches beyond that. May stifled a laugh while Dawn looked at him incredulously.

Dawn then raised her hand, calling Fantina over to them. Ash stared at her in a deadpan, wondering if she was going to tell Fantina that he hadn't been taking notes during the lectures.

"Ms. Fantina, the time period you gave us is kind of vague. We didn't go over it much in class." Dawn pointed out to their instructor who looked up to recall what she had assigned them.

"Ah, I remember," Fantina said as she went to a nearby table to retrieve a stool, then she joined them at their trio of desks. Her voice became hushed as she leaned in to speak with them. "The time period I gave you was a dark time. It was right after the Great Crisis."

Ash perked up, recalling that he had heard a short story about this subject once before. Dawn and May, on the other hand, gave their teacher an odd look.

"I've never heard-" May began, but Fantina raised a finger to her own mouth as a gesture for May to speak quietly. Lowering her voice, May began to speak again. "I've never heard of that. I don't think we ever covered something like that in history class, right Dawn?"

"No, I haven't heard about a 'Great Crisis' either." Dawn added.

"It's modern history, something that people are trying to forget," Fantina explained solemnly. "I selected this time period because it was a very emotional time for people all over the world, and the artwork from that time was very _percutant_ err, uh powerful."

"What happened that made everyone so emotional?" May asked, causing Fantina to sigh as she straightened up. She looked around her classroom, taking a moment to admire the generation that she instructed, as well as the fact that a piece of history had successfully been withheld from them. Returning her gaze to the trio in front of her, she shook her head.

"It's not my place to tell. In fact, I shouldn't know about it myself." Fantina admitted, surprising the group.

"Then how did _you_ learn about it?" Ash cut in.

"It was one of my research assignments while I was studying for my teaching certificate," Fantina explained. "The libraries in Sinnoh are very deep, and I uncovered information that had been buried for years most likely."

"Wow, so cool!" Dawn exclaimed. She had seen pictures on the internet of an enormous library in a small place called Celestic Town. It was said to have some of the oldest texts of recorded history.

"I see that I've put you all between a rock and a hard place, so I'll find some references for you all to work with tomorrow." Fantina suggested, wrapping up their discussion on this subject. The three of them thanked her, and Dawn decided to it was best to think about what medium they should use.

While she and May began to go over the pros and cons of each medium, Ash became lost in his thoughts concerning one subject.

The Great Crisis.

Ash had this subject come up among a group of trainers while he and Brock were out one night many months ago. It was a vague story, and not even Brock could give him the details about this. But it was described as the day Pokemon turned on mankind.

It shattered the trust between people and Pokemon.

With so many blanks to fill in surrounding this story, all Ash could do was wonder would it would take for the relationship between people and Pokemon to recover from that dark time.

* * *

It was almost nine o'clock as Ash hastily entered his home. Unless he had to work that afternoon, Cassidy would normally berate Ash for staying out so late on a school night. In her absence, Macy of all people would do the same. Of course, her reasoning was different compared to Cassidy's. The small girl simply missed him if he didn't get home before she went to bed, and she made it a point to voice this to him.

Poking his head into the living room, Ash took a quick glance around in search of the girls. The only person present in the room was Casey who was absorbed in a TV program.

"Pssst." Ash said to get her attention. "Did May leave already?"

"No, she's putting Macy to bed." Casey responded, pointing upward. "You're so late, Macy has been trying to wait for you."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Ash mumbled as he went over to the staircase, making the quick trip upstairs. Heading straight for Macy's room, he could hear her giggling as he approached the doorway. Ash raised his eyebrows as he entered to find them both munching on a plate of cookies, a glass of milk resting on the nightstand beside Macy. Narrowing his eyes as they looked toward them, Macy beamed at him while May refused to make eye contact.

"Ashy!" Macy exclaimed as she set down her cookie to wave to him with both hands.

"Macy, you know you don't get sweets before bed." Ash pointed out immediately. Macy struggled to sleep if she had sugar before bed, but she also couldn't resist having sweets at _every_ opportunity. In response, Macy smiled innocently, causing Ash to roll his eyes. As much as he wanted to reprimand her, he couldn't find it in his heart to do so when she made such a face.

"Sorry Ash, it was my idea." May admitted, but this caused Ash to smirk.

"Don't worry about it." Ash said as he came over to the bed, picking up the plate that they had been eating from. "But I'll be having the rest of these."

"Hey! No fair!" Macy said, reaching toward the plate which Ash held just out of her reach. He lowered his head and blew a raspberry at her and she made the same face at him in response.

"Drink your milk and to sleep, Macy." He said to her. "May will tuck you in, alright?"

With a huff Macy obliged, allowing Ash to hand her the glass of milk which she slurped down noisily. Ash grimaced at the sounds, earning a laugh from May.

"I'll be right back." Ash said, deciding to leave the room rather than listen to Macy as she drank. She was young, but Macy was smart. She knew Ash hated it when she drank like that, and she was likely doing in on purpose to get back at him for confiscating her cookies. With a chuckle, Ash shook his head at Macy's antics. Clearly, she had learned a few things from Casey.

Entering his own room, Ash set the plate down on his nightstand and sat down to remove his backpack. Opening it up, Pikachu practically jumped out of it to shake its fur and stretch out its limbs.

"Sorry Pikachu, I know it's not comfortable in there. I still don't have a timetable on a Pokeball for you." Ash said as he retrieved one of the cookies, offering it to Pikachu.

"Pi-ka." It muttered in response, shooting him a narrow glance. Ash rolled his eyes, wondering how Pikachu could complain about hiding in his backpack every day, and then refuse the comforts of a Pokeball.

"Oh brother." Ash mumbled as he watched his partner begin to nibble at the cookie while it remained seated on the floor. Rising to his feet, Ash left his room to go check on Macy now that he was finished with Pikachu for the most part. Stepping back into the corridor, he could faintly hear a voice that was almost angelic.

Was that...May?

Listening as he approached Macy's room, Ash felt as though he had been uplifted. It was such a pure and soothing voice. Just listening to a few of the lyrics as May sang, it was no wonder Macy liked her voice so much. She was simply amazing.

Arriving at the entrance to Macy's room, Ash leaned against the door frame to watch May as she sang. Her eyes were closed and her head raised, and the softness of her voice was lulling Macy to sleep. Ash raised his eyebrows as he thought back to the first real discussion he had with May earlier in the school year.

She had shared her lack of decisiveness with him and that she was uncertain about her future. Yet, she had an incredible voice. How could she think she didn't have a future while sitting on a talent like this!?

 _"Sleep pretty darling, do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby."_

Ash felt as if her words were caressing him, as though he was in the arms of his mother when he was younger. Smiling faintly, Ash remained silent as May traveled through the chorus of her song one final time. Upon finishing, she glanced down at Macy and smiled proudly that she had put Macy to sleep. Rising from the bed, May turned to leave but she found Ash standing in the doorway.

He raised a finger to his lips, motioning for her to remain quiet until they were outside of her room. Once he had shut the door, May slapped his shoulder, giving him a hard stare.

"What was that for?" Ash grumbled.

"Why didn't you say anything? I thought it was just me and Macy." May pointed, irritated that he had been eavesdropping on her small performance.

"Is that a problem?" Ash asked her in return. May's cheeks reddened a bit as she looked away from him now. It only took Ash a moment to realize it might have been embarrassing for May, and he felt a touch of guilt for listening in on her.

"I don't normally sing in front of other people," May confessed. "I'm usually alone."

"So...you're telling me no one knows that you can sing like that?"

May shook her head.

"The only people I have ever sung for was my mom and little brother." She explained, and Ash frowned a bit at her. "What?"

"You can really sing though. Why would you hide it?" Ash asked her curiously.

"I'm not...trying to hide it." May reasoned through pursed lips. "I never really felt the need to, broadcast to everyone that I can sing. Kind of like how you don't show off that you can draw really well."

"Fair point," Ash said with a nod before smirking a bit at May. "So would you sing for Dawn tomorrow if I told her?"

"NO!" May proclaimed, causing Ash to shush her harshly. May's cheeks reddened out of embarrassment. "No, don't tell her."

"Why not, I thought you said you weren't hiding it?"

"I'm not." May protested with a huff, shooting Ash a sharp stare. He gave her a wink in response which caused May to exhale exasperatedly. "Fine, I don't want anyone to know. Not yet, at least."

"If you won't sing for Dawn, how come you'll sing for Macy?" Ash asked her curiously.

"It reminds me of when I was younger before my family had moved to Vermilion City. We used to travel a lot because of my dad's job, so we'd be sleeping in a different hotel almost every night. It was hard for my little brother to sleep properly, so my mom would sing to help him get to sleep." May related to Ash, smiling fondly at the thought of her mother. "My mom is amazing, and listening to her every night is the reason I started to sing. I couldn't imagine what it would've been like without her, so now when I see Macy I just want to make sure that she's alright since her mom can't be here for her right now."

Ash smiled faintly, thoroughly impressed with May's level of concern for his sister.

"May, I'm pretty sure I've said this before but, you rock." Ash said which caused her to beam brightly with a giggle.

"Hey, I try." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. Her expression became more thoughtful as she looked at Ash. "So um, are _you_ okay?"

May saw Ash's expression darken momentarily, then he pursed his lips as he looked away from her.

"I'm a-o-kay May." He replied, brushing aside her look of concern.

May frowned as Ash turned, beginning to make his way down to corridor to the staircase. Ash could be so enigmatic at times. She wondered if that was what Dawn found so attractive about him. May never cared much for mysterious guys that were hard to read, but maybe the challenge was what won Dawn's attention.

Either way, May shrugged and followed him downstairs. It was already late and the last thing she wanted to catch an earful of her father's complaining that she was out on a school night.

* * *

 **Tuesday, November 15th**

"Ash, are you okay back there? You haven't said anything in a while." May noted as she looked up at the rearview mirror. She and Dawn were seated in the front of her car as they drove to Dawn's house, while Ash was seated in the back with his nose buried in the book Fantina had provided them in class today.

"Uh, yeah, yeah I'm good." Ash mumbled back, far too absorbed in the contents of this book to give a proper response.

"Don't forget Ash, once we get to my house that book is supposed to be in _my_ hands." Dawn proclaimed, earning a snort from Ash and a deep sigh from May.

Fantina had come through for them, just as she said she would. During their first period class when this trio was together with their art teacher, she gave them a book entitled 'The History of Modern Art.' As the title suggested, the book covered artwork from the modern era which had started roughly three hundred years ago. The pieces within it were amazing, all of which had an analysis by the author of the book. While Ash went from page to page examining the artwork, Dawn wanted to read the thoughts of the author which took far too long in Ash's opinion.

They had attempted to share the book during first period, but the two of them had literally butted heads trying to study the art. May and the rest of Fantina's class couldn't believe that Ash and Dawn were having such a petty squabble over this book. Realizing that they wouldn't be able to share the book at the same time, Ash and Dawn decided that one of them would have the book for a class period. Once the allotted time was up, they would hand it off to the other person 'willingly.' May must have rolled her eyes at least a dozen times today watching them exchange the book. There was even a point where Ash wouldn't let go of it in the hallway and Dawn started to shout at him in the midst of the all the traffic between classes.

Ash was amazed by what he was seeing in this book. He had never cared much for art history, but with their subject being the Great Crisis, Ash couldn't deny that his interest was piqued. This book covered the modern era perfectly as well.

Ash could see the contrast before and after the Great Crisis.

The artwork from before the Great Crisis featured Pokemon in it. Even some of the great and powerful Pokemon that were feared presently were painted or drawn in great detail. Proof that the artists were able to get close and examine these Pokemon extensively. Following the tragedy that was the Great Crisis, the artwork took on a completely different feeling.

Chaos was the predominant quality of almost every piece. Destruction filled the landscape, sorrow occupied everyone's expression. Pokemon were now absent from every piece. It was just as Fantina had said, the artwork was very powerful. Ash didn't know all of the details surrounding this event, but seeing the depictions through the art was a chilling experience. It was like he was being drawn into that time period and witnessing the deluge of emotions that people were going through. Terror and fear had filled their hearts as they mourned over those who were lost.

Hearing someone knock on the glass beside him, Ash blinked repeatedly before looking out the window. Dawn was standing outside of his door, looking at him expectantly. With a quick glance, Ash saw that they were parked in Dawn's driveway and both girls had already gotten out of the car.

"Time's up Ash, hand it over!" Dawn declared, causing Ash to sigh with irritation.

Unbuckling his seat belt, he opened the door to climb out the car with his backpack. Dawn looked at him intently, waiting for him to pass the book that was rightfully hers for the next hour. Rather than give it to her directly, he raised his arm straight up, holding the book above her.

"Take it then." He responded, sticking out his tongue at her.

"Why are you being so impossible today Ash?!" Dawn hollered at him as she began to grab at the book, but Ash's stature kept it well out of reach. With a sigh, May decided to bring Dawn's struggle to an end as she approached Ash. Tickling the armpit of his raised arm, Ash dropped the book immediately, jumping away from May instinctively. The book would've hit the ground if Dawn hadn't been so persistent, catching it on its way down.

"The heck?" Ash exclaimed, shooting May a funny look. She raised an eyebrow at him, wearing a smirk.

"You'd be surprised what I've learned about you from Casey and Macy." May commented, and Ash paled in response. He had no trouble picturing Casey exposing all of his secrets and weaknesses to his friends.

Looking past May, Ash caught sight of everything else that was taking place at the Berlitz Estate. The driveway that had empty every time Ash had visited in the past, was now occupied with several black vehicles.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Ash inquired, pointing to all of the cars and trucks.

"Oh yeah, my dad is home for the next few days." Dawn replied casually as she motioned for them to follow her up the grass lawn to the front door.

"So, what's all this for?" Ash asked again.

"That's his security Ash." May said knowingly, and Ash's mouth hung open for a few moments.

"Security?" He exclaimed. "What does he do for work?"

"He does a lot of things if I had to be honest. Like he owns the shipping yards downtown, he runs a lot of businesses and sponsors all sorts of things." Dawn explained before she decided to summarize everything she had shared. "He's a tycoon."

"So that's how you guys afford this place." Ash pointed out, earning a chuckle from May. As they arrived at the front door, both doors were opened for them by two men in black suits.

"Afternoon, Dawn." They said together, sparing her a nod.

"Thank you." Dawn said kindly as she, Ash and May stepped into the foyer. "It's good seeing you guys again."

"Likewise." One of them replied as the doors were closed. They then stepped toward Ash and May, causing the brunette to sigh audibly.

"What's it going to take for me to get security clearance like Dawn?" May asked them, causing one of them to chuckle.

"Only the big boss can give security clearance." He replied with an apology. May groaned as she took off her bag, allowing them to quickly check it. They did the same to Ash backpack before clearing them for entrance into the household.

"So where are we going to work Dawn?" May asked curiously as Dawn led them past the entrance to her kitchen.

"I figured we could my workshop in the basement today." Dawn explained as they traveled into a long corridor where a circular stairwell was waiting for them.

"You have a workshop?" Ash exclaimed, disbelief written all over his face as they arrived at the stairwell. Before they could begin to descend down the stairs, a well-dressed gentleman stepped out of one of the rooms further down the hall and waved upon spotting Dawn.

"Ah Miss Dawn, you're home early today." Darach remarked as he approached the trio.

"Yeah, we got a lift home with May," Dawn replied, noticing that Darach's gaze now rested on Ash. "Oh right, I don't think you've met yet. This is Ash, one of my friends from school."

"It's pleasure to meet you," Darach said as he bowed deeply to Ash. "I am Darach, the butler of this household."

"Nice to meet ya." Ash responded, scratching the back of his neck with a chuckle. No one had ever addressed him like this before. He felt so, dignified!

"Is there anything you all would like to eat?" Darach offered, causing Dawn and May to look up thoughtfully. Then they looked toward Ash since this was his first official visit to Dawn's home.

"What would you like Ash?" Dawn asked him, and he made a face since the decision had been left up to him. He shrugged his shoulders after a few moments, unsure of what Darach could prepare for them.

"I don't know." He replied.

"Okay then, how hungry are you?" May asked with a smug grin. She had seen Ash's appetite at lunch, and it was no secret that Ash could put away a meal when he was ready. Right on cue, Ash's stomach voiced its opinion and the girls couldn't help but giggle. "If I may make a suggestion...Darach can make some mean sliders Ash."

Ash's eyes lit up at the prospect, and once Darach listed what he could use as the contents to these small sandwiches Ash was practically drooling. For someone that was usually so calm and composed, Ash could act pretty silly until his appetite was sated.

"I'll have them ready for you all in thirty minutes or less." Darach declared before he promptly left for the kitchen.

"Don't skimp either Darach, this guy can eat!" May called out to the butler. Ash gave May a narrow glance for this comment, but she only grinned at him in response.

"Come on guys, this way." Dawn said as she stood in the stairwell, motioning for them to follow her. Keeping pace with Dawn as they journeyed down to the basement level of the estate, the bluenette led them to into a sizable room that was dedicated to housing various art supplies. Ash was astonished by all of the tools Dawn had at her disposal and whistled at the sight of it all.

"Whoa, you've been holding out on me Dawn." He noted, waiting to hear a response from Dawn. Receiving nothing in reply, Ash looked toward the bluenette and discovered that she was already seated on a nearby bean bag chair with the art history book on her lap.

"So uh, what should we do Ash?" May asked him up realizing that they would hardly be getting input from Dawn for now.

"Well I guess you and I can choose the medium and start brainstorming our composition." Ash pointed out, receiving a nod from her as they went over to one of the tables at the center of the room.

Time passed quickly as the two of them went over this topic, throwing ideas back and forth. Ash was both surprised and impressed with May. After seeing her artistic ability...or lack of it in class, he wasn't expecting much from her. However, she turned out to be an incredible brainstorm partner. May was very vocal, and she had some sound ideas that they could use as a foundation.

Taking May's thoughts and putting them down on paper, the two of them built up two different compositions before Darach called for their attention. He stood in the entryway to Dawn's workshop.

"Mister Ash, I'd like to request your assistance in bringing down your snacks." Darach said, and Ash was standing beside the butler in a heartbeat.

"You got it." Ash said with a small salute. Then he spared May and Dawn a wave before he left, entering the corridor with Darach. They walked in silence for a few moments, reaching the stairwell before Darach cleared his throat.

"So Mister Ash, I've actually been looking forward to meeting you." Darach revealed to him, and Ash raised his eyebrows.

"Really? What for?" Ash inquired.

"Miss Dawn speaks very fondly of you. I think it's fair to say most of the staff of this household have been curious to see this young man who left such a strong impression on her." Darach explained, and Ash felt his cheeks heat up. For whatever reason, he could picture Dawn gushing to her family about him.

"Gee, I don't really know what to say." Ash replied with a chuckle.

"Say no more, I actually had something I wanted to speak to you about," Darach confessed as they arrived at the stairwell. Ash was surprised at this. He didn't really think anyone in Dawn's house would give him the time of day during his visit. "You see, Dawn shared with me your interest in Pokemon."

Darach glanced at Ash, spotting a small frown on his face upon hearing this news.

"Not to worry. I understand the public's view of Pokemon may not be a positive one, but this household has nothing against trainers and their Pokemon." Darach stated, and Ash was truly surprised by this. Darach couldn't help but snort at the expression of shock Ash wore.

"Are you serious?" He asked Darach tentatively.

"Indeed. In fact, the previous owner of this house used to possess many Pokemon. I grew fond of them while I served her." Darach explained and Ash's interest was piqued. Could he meet this woman?

"She was the ' _previous_ ' owner...did she move or something?" Ash inquired, and Darach became silent for a few moments. They reached the top of the staircase, and he led Ash down the corridor to the main foyer. Ash furrowed his brow with confusion, wondering if he had touched on a sensitive subject. These concerns were put to rest as they entered the foyer and Darach led him over to a large painting that hung on the wall.

It was a portrait of a beautiful woman with long brown hair that was seated on a colorful sofa. She smiled warmly for the painter, entertaining the pair of Pokemon that accompanied her. Standing beside the sofa was a Gardevoir who looked down at the woman fondly, but the other Pokemon caught Ash's attention. He didn't recognize this one, but its silky mane and nine tails stood out to him.

"This is Lady Caitlin, the previous owner. She...passed away." Darach explained with a deep sigh.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ash apologized, but Darach waved it off.

"It's not your fault," Darach replied. How could Ash have known any of this? Looking up at the painting, Darach took a moment to pay his respects as he always did, then he turned back to Ash. "She was truly an exceptional woman. She will be missed."

Darach then motioned for Ash to follow him as they made their way to the kitchen.

"Oh, I went off topic," Darach noted with a chuckle, readjusting his glasses. "I didn't call you to discuss Lady Caitlin. I wanted to offer you tickets."

"Tickets? To what?" Ash asked.

"Underground matches." Darach said and once again Ash was shocked by something Darach has shared with him. Tickets to the official matches of the underground circuit were hard to come by and typically on the high end of the price spectrum. These battles were held within a secluded location, in front of an audience to determine who was the best trainer among those in Vermilion City. Pokemon battles took place all over the city where any trainer could participate, but underground matches were where you'd find the trainers and Pokemon of the highest caliber. The professionals. The people that Ash wanted to battle.

"No way. How'd you get them?" Ash asked in a hushed voice, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

"Mister Ash, as I said this is a neutral household. No one is going to give you hard time about Pokemon here." Darach responded, motioning for Ash to relax. "Now as for how these tickets were obtained, it was through Mr. Berlitz, the _current_ owner of this estate."

"Is he a trainer?" Ash exclaimed though he frowned at the thought. Dawn had mentioned that her father was a business tycoon, so there was no way he had the time to balance Pokemon training with the rest of his responsibilities.

"He's nothing of the sort. However he is well renowned within the underground circuit as a sponsor, so he regularly receives tickets to observe the matches." Darach explained to Ash. "Unfortunately, these tickets always go to waste. He is a very busy man, and he rarely has time to attend these. When I heard of your interest in Pokemon, I thought that you might be someone who would appreciate these."

"Heck yeah, you better believe I will!" Ash declared. He could hardly believe such an opportunity had been dropped into his lap like this.

"Excellent." Darach said as they entered the kitchen, and Ash's focus shifted. He raised his head, catching the aroma of grilled meat. Scanning the kitchen briefly, Ash's gaze became fixated on the island at the center of the room where a platter of well-crafted sliders was waiting for them. They were practically sparkling as Ash stared at them hungrily. "I will retrieve the tickets for you Ash. It will only take a few minutes, feel free to have one of your sliders in the meantime."

Darach spared Ash one last glance as he left the kitchen, making his way to the den of Mr. Berlitz. The owner of the house was preoccupied with a conference call, allowing Darach to freely enter and exit his private chamber. Entering this dimly lit room, Darach quickly approached the wooden desk near the fireplace and rummaged through the contents of one of the drawers before finding the tickets. Each of them was laminated with a barcode on the bottom, likely to ensure that these could only be used once. Tucking the tickets into the breast pocket of his jacket, Darach promptly left the room and shut the door softly.

He still couldn't believe what a stroke of luck this was.

That Ash would appear right in front of him _this_ week of all weeks.

This opportunity couldn't be more perfect!

Journeying back to the kitchen, Darach's jaw almost dropped as he discovered that Ash had eaten all three of the sliders that had been prepared for him. Darach couldn't have been gone for more than three minutes, so there was no way Ash could have eaten them all so quickly. Then May's brief warning to him rung out in his ears. As he observed the young man, Darach could see a look of contentment on Ash's face which left him to assume that the sliders had done their job.

"Uh, Darach right?" Ash said, noticing that the butler had returned. Darach gave him a nod as he approached the island where Ash was standing. "Those sliders were amazing! I...couldn't really control myself."

Darach wasn't sure whether he should be impressed or horrified at the fact that Ash had devoured that meal in less than five minutes. Brushing this thought aside, Darach thanked Ash with a small bow and cleared his throat.

"Here are the tickets for you." Darach stated, pulling them out of his pocket for Ash. His eyes began to sparkle as these tickets were placed in his hands.

"You have no idea how much I appreciate this. Thanks so much!" Ash said almost giddily. Reading the tickets, he saw that they were for the matches taking place this weekend! He couldn't wait to see these, and he knew exactly who he was bringing!

* * *

 **Saturday, November 19th**

"Oh man, I can't believe we're going to be seeing pro matches tonight!" Brock exclaimed and Ash nodded excitedly.

He, Ash and Pikachu stood on the rocky shoreline to the west of Vermilion City. They were waiting in a line to gain entry to the Hidden Cove, the stadium where professional Pokemon battles took place. Getting there was no small task.

The stadium itself had earned its name for where it was located. The rocky shoreline led up to some steep cliffs, but the cove was tucked away in a portion of the cliffs that had been hollowed out. Sunlight was provided through the main entrance of the cove, but man-made lights had been installed all over the place for the darker hours of the evening.

To reach this cove required the skill of a seasoned maritime captain to guide a boat into this cove or the maneuverability of a water Pokemon. The latter was what Brock and Ash had used to reach the cove.

There was a small beach on the western end of Vermilion City where several trainers were stationed. They provided the water transportation to get those attending these battles to the cove and back when the night was over. Ash was absolutely ecstatic at the opportunity to ride a Mantine to the cove and Pikachu was glad to make the acquaintance of the marine Pokemon. It was roughly a fifteen-minute ride on Mantine to the cove, and Ash marveled as he realized the beach was actually within the low cliff they were approaching. Disembarking at the beach, the group gave thanks to Mantine for the ride before it began its return trip to Vermilion City to pick up its next set of passengers.

Ash and Brock followed some of the other guests further into the area. A large portion of the cliff had been hollowed out for where the stadium was built. It wasn't clear if the open cave was natural or not, but it was impressive to observe. Spotlights had been set up at various places for once the sun had set, and they could see some very tall lights extending from the open roof the stadium, casting light down onto the battlefield.

Many people had already gathered outside of the stadium, with dozens of Pokemon roaming about as well. With no chance of the authorities even discovering this stadium, everyone present could have peace of mind knowing that their Pokemon could do as they pleased.

Some of the guests marveled at the sight of some of the large Pokemon, while some of the trainers spoke among themselves. The participants of tonight's battles were the first people to set foot in the stadium. It would be another fifteen minutes before they started letting in the audience. Lining up with everyone else, Ash and Brock couldn't wait to see some of the matches that would be taking place soon.

One of the attendants came by handing out the match schedule for those interested. Ash gladly accepted one and raised his brow as he studied the front of the program. The cover was dedicated to advertising the main event for tonight.

'Trek' vs 'Hydration.'

Upon entering the underground circuit, trainers could select an alias to go by rather than using their real name. It became a way for trainers to battle freely on the streets without the danger of their identity becoming known to the authorities.

"Whoa, last time I was here they didn't promote the main event like this." Brock noted as he looked at the program with Ash.

"Who are these guys?" Ash asked him, and Brock pulled out his phone, quickly accessing the PokeHub. Scrolling through the profiles, he found 'Hydration' first.

"Jonah 'Hydration' Romano," Brock stated as he began to read through his profile. "He has two Pokemon registered in the circuit, a Poliwhirl and a Staryu."

"Oh, so he mainly uses water types." Ash said, getting a nod from Brock.

"He's rank forty-one in the entire circuit," Brock exclaimed, realizing that they were going to be seeing one of the best trainers in the city tonight. Returning to the profile list, Brock began to search for 'Trek' now. "If they're pushing the main event like this then the other trainer must be really good...oh, here he is."

Ash looked at Brock, anxiously waiting to hear the information about 'Trek.' His friend became pale though as he looked through the profile of this trainer.

"Well?" Ash asked him, motioning for Brock to speak.

Brock bit down on his lower lip, uncertain of if he should speak. With a deep breath, he simply gave Ash his phone to let him read for himself.

Accepting the device, Ash discovered that his thumb had landed on the back button, taking him back out to the rankings. Glancing at the names of the top five trainers, he saw that 'Trek' was ranked fifth and sporting an undefeated record throughout his eight-year career in the underground circuit.

Although his record was very small, participating in only nineteen matches during this eight-year span. Most trainers would take part in the number of battles that this man has in just one year. Opening his profile, Ash quickly discovered why this man was ranked so highly despite such low participation in the circuit.

'Trek' was the King of the Red Skulls.

And his name was...Aaron 'Trek' Ketchum.

Ash's father.

* * *

 **A/N**

Welp, enjoy your cliffhanger. The following two chapters go hand in hand with this one and I can't wait for you all to see them. Lots of cool stuff up ahead that I think you'll enjoy.

Also, have to give credit to The Beatles for the line I used from 'Golden Slumbers.' Great song, that admittedly, I heard in the movie 'Sing' that was produced by Illumination. I really love that movie regardless of how it was received.

Gotta give a shoutout to MjrGenMatt for his help with this chapter especially. We discussed a lot of stuff in this one so I'm happy to finally put this one out there.

Thanks for reading, drop a review and I'll see you all again soon!


	18. Reunion

**Chapter 18**

* * *

 _He started his journey before seeing his father, but his destination was determined for him that night._

 _Seeing his father again is what started him down this path – one filled with questions._

 _Questions that began to consume him..._

* * *

Ash stood in shock, reading and re-reading the name listened under the profile of 'Trek.'

A feeling of unease filled his chest as he wrestled with his thoughts.

That couldn't be his father...no, it just couldn't be. Ash hadn't seen him in so long and he had no idea where this man had been.

But, Aaron Ketchum. That was indeed his father's name.

Could it really be him?

-X-X-

 _Five-year-old Ash Ketchum was as giddy as could be as he stood proudly in the living room of his small home in Pallet Town. His mother was kneeling a few feet away, a camera in her hands as she took multiple snapshots of her son. He wore the widest grin, tipping the visor of the new cap he received from his mother._

 _It was a red and white cap with an incomplete green triangle on the front it. This cap was hand-made by his mother, Delia. She couldn't help but giggle as her son struck another pose for the camera, calling for her to take another picture._

 _"Do you like your hat, Ash?" His mother asked him, and he almost threw his head off of his neck nodding to her._

 _"Mhmmm!" He replied, giving her a peace sign._

 _There was a knock on the front door, causing Ash to abandon his mother as he dashed over to the door. He knew who was waiting on the other side._

 _"Dad!" Ash exclaimed as he threw open the door, and he was greeted by the sight of his father beaming at him, a boxed present in his hands. He was accompanied by an older gentleman who Ash paid no mind to._

 _Aaron greeted Delia with a kiss before setting down Ash's present on the center table of the living room. He took a seat while Ash circled his present, anxious to see what was waiting inside._

 _"So Ash, are you having fun today?" Aaron asked his song who looked up at him._

 _"Yeah, mom gave me this awesome hat!" He explained, taking it off for him to examine. Delia did a fine job on it._

 _"Wow, are you going to let me borrow this from time to time? I need a hat for when I'm traveling after all." Aaron said, shooting Ash a sly grin._

 _"No way, this one is mine." Ash stated sternly._

 _"Say what?" Aaron exclaimed playfully. "Can't you share a little bit?"_

 _"It's just for me." Ash declared, looking at his father intently._

 _"Alright, since your mother made it for you, I won't ask again." Aaron stated as he placed Ash's cap on his head, pulling it down snug on Ash's head. Ash grinned at him, and Aaron could tell what his son was going to ask._

 _"What did ya bring me?" Ash inquired, looking toward the present that Aaron placed on the table._

 _"Ash, what I have here for you is a big responsibility." Aaron began with a serious expression. Glancing at his father, Ash quickly realized this was no small matter despite his youth, and that led him to one conclusion._

 _"Is it a Pokemon?" Ash asked immediately, reaching out to the remove the cover of the box._

 _"Hold on Ash," Aaron said, forcing his son to pause. "I want you to understand this isn't something you can take lightly. This Pokemon is going to be yours, which means you will have to take care of it, feed it, and maybe one day train it-"_

 _"Pika-" A new voice exclaimed, and everyone looked toward the present to see that the top of the box rose up a smidgen for the small yellow Pokemon to peek out. It couldn't bear to be contained within the box any longer. To the adult's amusement, the cover of the box slowly slid off of Pikachu's head, allowing its ears to stand straight up._

 _"A PIKACHU!" He screamed, and the Pokemon looked toward him at the call of its name. Grabbing the small Pokemon from the box, Ash pressed it against his face in a crushing hug. The Pikachu, however, seemed irritated as it began to struggle in Ash's grasp, and both Aaron and the man with him recognized the expression on Pikachu's face. In a flash, they put distance between themselves and this new duo, and it was just in the nick of time._

 _"Pika-CHUUU!" The small Pokemon hollered as electricity surged out of its body, zapping Ash. The small child was left twitching rapidly after he dropped Pikachu, his gaze unfocused._

 _"Oh my poor baby, are you okay!?" Delia yammered as she rushed to Ash, placing her hands on each of his cheeks. He let out of a small cough as Pikachu climbed up onto the center table, voicing its concerns for him. Then, of all the things Ash could do, he began to laugh._

 _"No, I'm sorry Pikachu. I shoulda asked before squeezing you." Ash apologized to the Pokemon, breaking away from his mother to look directly at it. Standing on its hind legs, Pikachu began to scratch the back of its neck with a small chuckle. "No hard feelings?"_

 _Everyone raised their eyebrows at the sight of them bumping fists. This small gesture would start a lifelong relationship as Pikachu beamed at Ash, and he returned its bright expression._

 _"My name is Ash." Ash began, introducing himself to the Pokemon. "Do you like the name Pikachu?"_

 _"Pi-ka." It replied with a nod and the two of them soon became absorbed in their own discussion._

 _"Well then, it looks like that got sorted out quickly." Aaron noted with a laugh._

 _"I told you already Aaron, Ash is just like you. When he comes up to the ranch he treats all the Pokemon just like that, right Delia?" The gentleman pointed out receiving a nod from Delia._

 _"Yup, that's right professor." She replied as they watched Ash offer his arm to Pikachu. It hesitated for just a moment before it climbed onto him, mounting itself onto his shoulder where it nuzzled its cheek against Ash's._

 _"How about a picture?" The professor suggested, motioning for Delia and Aaron to join Ash and his new partner._

 _"Sounds great." Aaron said as he approached his son and grabbed him in one arm, hoisting him up into the air. His remaining arm wrapped around Delia's waist and pulled her close as the professor retrieved the camera._

 _The family of three...now four, smiled together for the camera as the professor gave a shout of 'say cheese!'_

-X-X-

 _"_ Ash? Ash!" Brock hollered, waving his hands in front of his friend's face. Ash blinked rapidly for a few moments, his vision focusing on Brock. "Are you okay?"

"Uhh, yeah man. I'm good." Ash replied as he rubbed one of his eyes.

"Are you sure?" Brock added skeptically, but Ash gave him a narrow stare.

" _I'm good_." He repeated. Brock made a face, causing Ash to apologize for his tone. Deciding it was best to drop the subject, Brock gestured to the entrance to the open stadium. The area outside of the stadium was a ghost town. The audience had proceeded to enter once the doors were opened for general admission, leaving Ash and Brock outside.

Brock took the lead, guiding Ash into the Hidden Cove Stadium. He had been to the Hidden Cove on one other occasion to see professional matches, and Brock could safely say that it was an experience like no other.

This stadium was a beacon for trainers around the world. A place all of them dreamed of battling within one day. A stage where everyone would see your battle.

Every battle that took place in the Hidden Cove was broadcast through the PokeHub. This made it easy for those with access to track their favorite trainers and observe their battles if they couldn't attend the actual battle.

Within the main lobby, there were numerous posters showing some of the most memorable battles to be seen at the Hidden Cove. Observing some of these posters, Brock found himself looking up dreamily at the prospect of these battles. Recordings of these battles were stored on the PokeHub, but seeing a legendary matchup in person was an entirely different experience.

Traveling through the lobby, Brock and Ash entered the long corridor that traveled around the stadium, connecting to the stands around the battlefield. The stadium was nothing large, seating just a few thousand people, but it took a great deal of effort to maintain everything, including the battlefield. Entering a short stairwell, Ash looked up as they stepped out onto the stands. The stadium was open above them within this dimly lit area, but their primary light source was several large spotlights aimed down at the battlefield.

Ash felt his chest become tight at the sight of the field. This was _the_ field. Taking part in battles out on the streets was nothing to take lightly, but to take part in a battle on this field meant that you were the real deal. This was the first time he was seeing it in person, and one day soon he hoped to be standing on it himself.

"Come on Ash, this way." Brock said, calling for Ash to follow to their seats.

The tickets they received from Darach were excellent, placing them very close to the front. Ash and Brock felt a little out of place. These seats toward the front were occupied by some very well-dressed people, all of which must have paid a great deal of money to get them.

It was no secret to Brock that some of the people were present because they placed bets on these battles. While the underground circuit built a solid foundation for itself, it had been a struggle to establish this. Finding sponsors to help maintain the Hidden Cove, PokeHub and the trainers proved to be a real challenge. As an incentive, the underground circuit became a big gambling site, attracting some people with deep pockets to support its infrastructure.

Getting comfortable in their seats, there was a chime over the speakers to inform everyone that tonight's event was about to begin. An older gentleman, perhaps in his late fifties, stepped out in the spotlights on the battlefield with a microphone in hand. He wore a thick beard that was beginning to gain a few gray hairs due to age.

"That's him, Ash," Brock said as he pointed at the man on the field. "The commissioner of the circuit."

" _That's him_?" Ash exclaimed as he did a double take. Ash expected to see someone of great stature and prominence, not a short man wearing a backward cap!

"Yup, Charles Goodshow." Brock replied as Charles began to tap the microphone he held, commanding everyone's attention.

"It's good to see a full house tonight." He began, welcoming the audience warmly. "We have a special treat as the main event tonight, which I'm certain all of you are looking forward to. So, we'll skip straight to what everyone is here for, our first of eleven battles tonight!"

Charles motioned to the referee that stepped into the spotlight. He had a microphone attached to the collar of his shirt as he announced the participants of the battle.

"For our first match tonight, we have 'Outlaw' vs 'Blitz!'" The referee declared causing a roar from the audience. As the first two trainers took their place in each box, Charles quickly left the field to get to his own seat in the stands. "Trainers, are you ready?"

Both trainers gave the referee a short nod, eyeing their opponent with a Pokeball in hand.

"Then let the battle begin!" The ref shouted as he threw up his arms. That was the signal, and both trainers hurled their Pokeball up into the air. Each device split, releasing a white flash that jumped down to the field. The audience roared as Outlaw's Pidgeotto and Blitz's Ledian formed on the field, both of them taking flight upon spotting their opponent.

"This should be easy Pidgeotto, take it down with your Aerial Ace!" Outlaw ordered immediately, pointing up at Ledian. This was a tremendous advantage in their favor, and they were going to take full advantage of it. Pidgeotto gave a squawk before it ascended high into the air, performing a large loop to gain momentum.

"Ledian, use your Agility!" Blitz barked in return. Ledian's wings began to reverberate faster than the eye could see, and it became a blur in the air as Pidgeotto went on the attack. Even with its increased speed, Pidgeotto's keen eyesight allowed it to track the movements of Ledian as it darted around the air. Locking onto its target, Pidgeotto dove in, accurately striking Ledian on its side.

"Follow up with Whirlwind!" Outlaw added since Ledian was free falling from the blow. Pidgeotto began to flap is wings rapidly, unleashing several powerful gusts of wind onto Ledian. Outlaw's intention was to throw it down to the field where he and Pidgeotto would deliver the finishing blow, but the winds revitalized Ledian. Catching itself on the gusts, Ledian began to ride them in order to stabilize itself in the air, much to the delight of its trainer.

"Nice Ledian, let's give them a taste of your Mach Punch!" Blitz called out quickly seeing that this was there chance to attack. Riding the gusts of wind, Ledian used it as a slingshot to launch itself back up at Pidgeotto, reeling back one of its small fists. The crowd roared at the sight of Ledian delivering a punch to Pidgeotto's abdomen, stunning the bird which caused it to plummet down to the field. "Show em' who's boss with your Comet Punch!"

Ledian was quick to follow up, all four of its small hands beginning to glow as it attacked Pidgeotto with a barrage of punches.

"Pidgeotto you gotta do something!" Outlaw cried out, but Ledian delivered blow after blow to Pidgeotto's head leaving it dazed. It crashed down onto the field with a hard thud, Ledian hovering over the bird Pokemon with a prideful smile.

"Nice Ledian!" Blitz called out to his partner.

The audience was cheering wildly for Ledian's combination which effectively took down Pidgeotto. Ash, however, struggled to keep his attention on the battle. All of this commotion was muffled in his ears and his mind continued to drift back to thoughts of his father.

There was a laundry list of questions Ash had for his father, all of which were unanswered for more than ten years now.

Where had he been? What was he doing?

What happened on... _that day_?

-X-X-

 _"WHOA!" Ash bellowed as he stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding a stray bolt of electricity let loose from Pikachu. He laughed as he fell back onto his bottom, the grass of his backyard cushioning his fall. Ash brushed aside the momentary pain, his focus now firmly placed on how impressed he was with Pikachu's ability to channel electricity._

 _His father explained it a few times for him, that as Pikachu grew it would gain a measure of control of the electricity it could generate. Ash could distinctly remember the first time they had met two years ago how Pikachu greeted him with a shock to his system. He surprised Pikachu back then in its early stages, causing a discharge that not even it would have expected._

 _Since then, Pikachu came a long way. Ash may have grown somewhat now that he was the age of seven, but it was Pikachu's growth that was noteworthy. It had filled out considerably, now attaining the natural size and weight of its kind which marked the beginning of the exploration of its abilities._

 _"Pikapi?" Pikachu asked him as it ran to his side, but Ash assured it that he was alright. Pikachu's ears perked up as it heard something approaching in the distance._

 _It was a few moments before Ash could hear it as well. The roar of several car mufflers racing toward them. Suddenly the back door of his home was thrown open by his mother, who called for him frantically. Upon reaching the back porch, Delia grabbed him by the hand and yanked him into the house. Briefly, they made eye contact and Ash saw how distraught his mother was. His mother was such a cheerful woman that seeing this grim expression on her face was…uncanny._

 _"Mom, what's wrong?" Ash asked her as he heard the car engines stopping outside of their home. His mother glanced at the front door, biting down on her lower lip. "Mom?"_

 _"Come on, upstairs now." She said sharply, ushering Ash and Pikachu up the staircase to their room. Reaching their room, Delia opened up Ash's closet and gently steered the two of them into._

 _"What's happening, mom?" Ash asked her again, and she winced upon hearing someone pounding their front door._

 _"Ash, I want you to promise me that you'll stay here." Delia stated as she sat him down in the corner of the closet. Ash opened his mouth to question her, but she quickly placed Pikachu in his arms and looked into his eyes. It was rather dark in his closet, but Ash could clearly see that she was resolute despite the panic she was experiencing._

 _He nodded to her, and she smiled faintly. She leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, doing the same for Pikachu._

 _"Pi-ka..." It squeaked, lowering its ears in dismay. Realizing Pikachu must have detected her resolve, she placed a hand the top of its head, scratching it softly to provide the Pokemon some reassurance._

 _"Check around the back!" A burly voice commanded, and the trio within Ash's room heard a pair of footsteps circling their house. Delia straightened up and spared her son one last glance, remembering his face for what might be the final time._

 _Shutting the closet, Ash felt an overwhelming sense of dread as his mother returned downstairs. He could hear their back door get thrown open, earning a shout from Delia as they entered her home. The wooden floor creaked beneath their steps as they rushed at Delia. She was restrained by one of these men while the other opened the front door for the remaining person outside to join them._

 _The conversation was difficult for Ash to follow from upstairs. He managed to pick out a few phrases from their discussion, but not enough to understand what they were talking about._

 _"...Malcolm doesn't want you talking. This is your last chance." One of the men stated._

 _"...you all will be exposed one day." Delia spat in return, receiving a backhand for her boldness._

 _"...you and Aaron are the last of our loose ends..."_

 _"...it dies with you..."_

 _Pikachu's ears rose as it faintly heard a click, followed by a gasp from Delia._

 _"...it's your call, what are you going to do?"_

 _Delia began to sob. Ash couldn't make out a word she said, and suddenly everything grew silent._

 _A gunshot...followed by a thud._

 _Pikachu grabbed its ears, whining softly from the sharp noise._

 _Ash felt his heart jump into his throat, and his arms became tense as he held Pikachu tightly._

 _What was happening? He needed to know. Getting onto his knees, Ash reached out for the doorknob with one hand, but Pikachu opposed this idea. Sinking its small teeth into his forearm, Ash paused to wince in pain._

 _"Oww Pikachu." He muttered._

 _"Pika-pika." It advised him quietly, reminding him of the promise he made to his mother. Ash bit down on his lower lip, looking at the doorknob with uncertainty. He so desperately wanted to know what was happening. He heard his mother struggling against these men, and she even began to cry. Ash couldn't bear the thought of them hurting her._

 _Feeling Pikachu lick at the small bite mark it left on his arm, Ash sighed and sat back down. He wouldn't go against his mother's words._

 _Hearing another car come screeching to a halt outside his home, Ash's curiosity reached an all-time high. There was some shouting from the men within his home, but the loudest voice all came bursting through the front door. He knew this voice._

 _It was his father's._

-X-X-

"And now, we will start tonight's main event!" Charles Goodshow announced from his seat in the stands. There was a spotlight on him as he stood, a microphone in hand. The audience roared in response, anxious for this match to begin. This was what they all came to see.

Ash shook his head, the sheer volume of the audience forcing him out of his thoughts. Glancing around, he saw that almost everyone was on their feet as Charles began to introduce the participants of the main event. Ash rose up as well, watching as one of the spotlights was pointed to the entrance of the battlefield.

"In the blue box, sporting a record that has spanned forty-three matches with only three losses. 'Hydration!'" Charles declared as a man in early thirties stepped out into the spotlight. The audience cheered for him, and he pumped his fist as a gesture to excite the audience. Reaching the area that had been dedicated for him on the battlefield, another spotlight was then directed at the opposite entrance. "And in the red box, with an undefeated record through nineteen matches, a man who has maintained his status among the top five trainers in the circuit! 'Trek!'"

Ash drew in a shaky breath as his father stepped out into the spotlight. Aaron wasn't anything like how Ash remembered him. During Ash's early childhood, Aaron always possessed a rugged appearance and a scruffy beard. The only reason he ever shaved it was for Delia to kiss him since she refused to otherwise. Looking at him now, Ash couldn't believe that this was his father.

The man was clean cut, his hair was trimmed and under control. He was sharp, dressed in a suit, although he was missing a tie and the jacket was left undone. The most notable thing that struck Ash was his father's expression. All throughout his youth in Pallet Town, this man wore the greatest of smiles, especially when he was around Pokemon. Yet at this very moment, he wore a neutral expression, almost as if the life had been sucked out of him.

This setting was what the man lived for. Pokemon battles, fans screaming for him, but he didn't seem to care about it at all.

Arriving at the red box, Aaron took one glance around at the audience before focusing on the referee.

"Trainers, are you ready to begin?" The referee asked. He received a nod of confirmation from each of them, and then he threw his arms up.

"Alright, let's go!" Hydration shouted as he threw up his Pokeball. Aaron quickly did the same, and each of the spheres cracked open to release the Pokemon within it.

On Hydration's side, a Poliwhirl appeared it immediately fell into a fighting stance. Its opponent was a Pokemon that Ash hadn't seen in a long time.

"Ka-da-bra." Aaron's Kadabra shouted, raising one hand toward Poliwhirl. Its hand began to glow, eager to begin this battle.

-X-X-

 _"Delia!" His father roared from the living room. It was the type of shout that turns your blood cold and sends shivers down your spine. The pop of a Pokeball opening rung out, and there were several shouts of protest following this._

 _Then Ash began to hear several crashes with shouts of pain from the men. Ash could no longer help himself. His adrenaline was pumping, curiosity piqued as to what transpired downstairs. Above all else, his concern for his parents forced him to release his hold on Pikachu and stand up. With no hesitation, he opened up the door to his closet and rose to his feet._

 _Stepping out, Ash proceeded to the door of his room and opened it up. It became abundantly clear that a brawl had broken out in their living room. He could see the shattered remains of a vase resting at the bottom of the staircase. Slowly, he and Pikachu went down each step, his shoulders hunched as he reached the final steps._

 _Ash peeked into the room, his attention first being drawn to the three men he heard. They were being held up in the air by the psychic power of his father's Kadabra._

 _"No, I was too late..."_

 _His father was talking to someone._

 _"Some of his goons met me in Viridian City. That's what slowed me down." Aaron stated vehemently._

 _Ash gulped audibly as he looked around in search of his mother. It didn't take him long to find her on the opposite side of the living room. She lay motionless on her stomach, her head looking in the opposite direction. He rushed to her side, kneeling down to see if she was okay, but Ash fell back with a queasy feeling at the sight of his mother._

 _There was a small hole in her forehead, blood trickling out of the fatal bullet wound. Her eyes were glassy, lifeless, but he could see the stains of tears on her cheeks._

 _"M-M-mom?" Ash asked, and Aaron whirled around. The grip he had on his phone loosened as he saw Ash beside Delia. This was what he was desperately trying to avoid this..._

 _"Kadabra, use Hypnosis!" Aaron barked, pointing at Ash. Glancing back at Aaron, Kadabra was certainly surprised that the target of this attack was Ash, but it complied nonetheless. Hurling the three men it held in its Psychic grip aside, Kadabra gave a shout which earned Ash and Pikachu's attention. Briefly making eye contact with the two of them, Kadabra released a psychic wave which was propelled toward them._

 _The duo didn't have a chance to react before they were hit, being overcome by a sudden drowsiness. Ash could vaguely make out his father's face with the man looming over him, but he was unable to form a proper sentence before he succumbed to his urge to sleep._

-X-X-

"Poliwhirl is unable to battle, Kadabra is the winner!" The ref declared, and the audience burst into applause. Ash groaned as his vision refocused, and he saw the outcome of the battle. Aaron's Kadabra stood proudly over its unconscious opponent.

Ash sat in his seat, dumbfounded since he had missed the whole battle, in fact, he missed _all_ of the battles tonight. Despite this, Ash didn't care. The only thing he cared about was speaking to his father.

One of the spotlights was shifted back to Charles as he stood up, applauding the two trainers that participated in the main event. As the cheering abated, Charles took up the microphone in his seat to speak.

"Quite a spectacle!" Charles exclaimed as he watched Aaron retreat to the exit of the battlefield with his Kadabra. "A performance worthy of one of our _Kings_! I'll have to make sure his next opponent is even stronger than this one. Would you all like to see that?"

The audience roared in response. Getting to see any of the Five Kings take part in a battle was truly a treat, but seeing 'Trek', King of the Red Skulls battle was something that only happened once in a blue moon. Some questioned his ability since he battled far less frequently than the other Kings. Others insisted that his small track record in the underground circuit didn't justify his ranking.

However, seeing 'Trek' fully control a battle against another trainer in the top fifty was a clear reminder of his skill. His small record may have undermined his reputation, but his dominance on the battlefield quickly shut down the naysayers. He and his Kadabra were unparalleled in combat, something that could only be said about the Five Kings.

As Charles went through the closing ceremony, Ash nudged Brock with his elbow to get his attention.

"I'm gonna go, Brock." Ash said causing his friend to glance at him knowingly.

"You're going to talk to him, huh?" Brock stated, earning a nod from Ash.

"I have to." Ash responded sternly, glancing back at the tunnel his father went into.

"I know. I got something to take care of myself. I'll meet you back at the car, alright?"

"Right."

Ash rose from his seat, working his way down the aisle until he made it to the stairway that would take him back into the main corridor of the stadium. He knew little about this building, but he was already certain that there was only one way in and out of the Hidden Cove. If he was quick, he could reach the shore before Aaron got there.

Returning to the corridor that led to the seating areas, Ash began to run through it, racing back toward the main lobby of the stadium. As he ran, Ash could swear that this corridor became noticeably longer. He and Brock didn't walk too far to reach the seating area, so why was it taking him so long to get back to the lobby? Finally, the corridor opened up, and Ash found himself breathing hard as he looked around the lobby. He quickly realized that he entered this room from the opposite side he left it through earlier.

Resisting the urge to slap himself, Ash couldn't believe that he managed to run around the _entire_ stadium. He wasn't sure how much time he wasted, time he could have saved if he took the time to glance at any of the signs that were giving directions. Shaking his head with a sigh of irritation, Ash dashed out of the large doors of the lobby, stepping into the cool night air. The sky was dark, but the Hidden Cove was situated perfectly to see the moon as it rose up over the horizon.

Far out ahead of him, Ash saw a group of four men approaching the shoreline where the escorts and their Mantine's were waiting. Accompanying these men was a Kadabra, which meant that Aaron was among them. Going into a full sprint to close the distance, Ash gave a shout that caused them to glance back curiously.

"Hey!" He exclaimed loudly.

Aaron stopped mid-step, causing the other with him to pause and look back at the source of the shout. Glancing over his shoulder, Aaron could swear that his heart stopped at the sight of Ash Ketchum racing toward him. For all the time he spent watching his son over the last decade, this was the first time he was seeing him face to face. It simply astounded him how much this boy had grown since Aaron last saw him in person. Ash closed the gap in height, and he grew out his hair in the same fashion that Aaron used to wear his.

"Stop him Kadabra." Aaron said softly, causing Kadabra's eyes to flash blue for a brief moment. Ash's sprint came to an abrupt halt, his body now restrained by an unseen force. Ash grit his teeth, and fought to break free, but it was a truly bizarre experience to have lost all control of his body. He wanted to move, but he wasn't allowed to.

"Wha-What are you doing? It-It's me, Ash!" Ash pointed out, using the only part of his body that would obey his command. Aaron turned around to face Ash, but with the moonlight behind him, it concealed his expression from his son.

Aaron maintained his distance from Ash, posing his own question to his son.

"Why are you here?" Aaron asked him, and Ash felt his heart sink. On top of the changes to his appearance, Aaron's voice had grown rough. Even though their interactions had been sparse during Ash's childhood, Aaron would always talk to Ash in a way that put him at ease. But at this particular moment, there was no warmth or acceptance coming from Aaron. Just a raspy voice that was filled with skepticism.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked him in return.

"Why did you come here tonight?" Aaron clarified.

"To see the best trainers, why else would I be here?" Ash answered with a touch of indignation in his voice. Aaron's expression hardened at this response and the tip of his nose twitched twice.

"How did you get in?" Aaron questioned him.

"I got some tickets from someone who works for one the sponsors of the underground circuit. His name was um..." Ash frowned, realizing that he didn't even know Mr. Berlitz's first name. Not to mention he owed the man for unknowingly providing him those tickets. "His last name was Berlitz, that's all I really know about him."

Unknown to Ash, Aaron's eyes became narrow at the mention of 'Berlitz.'

Aaron hated being forced out of his little den to battle publicly for Charles Goodshow. 'Berlitz' was the picture-perfect example of why Aaron lived as a recluse. That man wanted him dead.

Hearing Ash just mention the name ' _Berlitz_ ' sparked a sense of rage with Aaron. What did that man want with his son?

"Is something wrong?" Ash asked. His father stood silent for some time now, and even the men that were escorting him were waiting for him to speak.

"Why did you come after me?" Aaron inquired with a deep breath.

"Because...I wanted to talk to you." Ash stated, and Aaron felt his breath become short. All of the effort he put forth to calm himself was forgotten immediately. There was only one subject that Ash could possibly want to talk to him about.

What happened the day his mother died.

"You're not ready." Aaron responded as he averted his gaze from Ash.

"What are you talking about? You don't even know what I was going to say!" Ash proclaimed, tightening his jaw out of frustration. This was hardly the discussion he expected to have. This was the first time they had seen each other in years, and his father had yet to say his _name_.

"You want to know about your mother, don't you?" Aaron said vehemently, forcing Ash to pause as he thought about his next choice of words. This was all of the proof Aaron needed. "You're _not_ ready."

"And what makes you think I'm not ready?" Ash barked at him.

"Because I'm you fath-"

"You're not my dad!" Ash shouted at him, forcing Aaron to look back at him. Ash could see his father's eyes amidst the darkness, and his anger boiled. This man had no right to claim that he was Ash's father! "I was _seven_ years old the last time I saw you! That was ten whole years ago! I'm not that kid you'd come to visit every now and then, so you don't have a say in what I can and can't know."

Aaron's expression darkened as he stared at Ash, balling his hands into tight fists.

"Listen!" He piped up over Ash, and his voice became scornful. "You don't understand anything that happened that day!"

"I know that was the day you chose to leave because you couldn't take care of me!" Ash hollered defiantly, and Aaron's ears began flush with the thump of his heart. His hands began to tremble which caused his Kadabra to take a cautious glance at its trainer. Seeing his anger flare up so violently, Kadabra knew what was coming next.

"C-C-Calm...Mind." Aaron spoke with a quiver as if he was kettle that was about to burst. Kadabra's eyes flashed blue momentarily, and Aaron's did the same. His anger abated, and he took one hand to pinch the bridge of his nose with a deep sigh.

Ash furrowed his brow, expecting an outburst from his father. But Aaron responded with a frightening calmness.

"Alright, you want to know about your mother?" Aaron asked him.

"At this point what else do you think I want to know about?" Ash retorted, but this didn't bother Aaron in the slightest. Rather, he lowered his hand to place his thumb against his chest.

"Beat me in a battle. An official one. Then we'll talk." Aaron stated, and Ash's anger turned to shock.

He needed some time to process what his father said. It was a complete one-eighty from the direction their conversation had been going. Ash began to anticipate a contest of who could raise their voice louder when suddenly Aaron retreated into his shell again. Ash struggled to figure out what could have prompted this subject. Once again, the questions were piling up.

Why would his father use such a ridiculous condition? Was it to keep him from finding out what happened to his mother? Why was Aaron trying to keep this a secret in the first place?

Ash shook his head, pushing these questions aside as he concluded that this must be the new norm for his father. After all, the man didn't have any qualms about dumping him in Vermilion City with Cassidy ten years ago. He didn't even have the decency to say goodbye. If Aaron was fine doing this, then it was no wonder he could put such a stupid roadblock in front of Ash.

"And how do you expect me to do that?" Ash asked him in return. His chance of entering the underground circuit was minuscule at best, and odds of a battle between him and his father being arranged were even smaller than that!

"I've been watching you," Aaron said, raising his arms. " _I'm_ the King of the Red Skulls. _I've_ seen you battle with my trainers. _I_ know that you can make it into the circuit."

Ash lowered his head, deepening the glare he shot at his father. That proclamation felt as if Aaron was trying to make up for his absence. As if him stating that _stalking_ Ash could make up for that.

"None of that matters," Ash said, brushing aside Aaron's comments before returning to the subject at hand. "No one is going to sponsor me."

"You've already found your sponsor. Berlitz. He'll get you in." Aaron revealed, but this didn't erase any of the doubt in Ash's stare. The young man was having such a hard time following his father as their discussion jumped from one place to another. "Just tell him your name...and he'll get you in."

Aaron turned away from Ash, using a moment to steady his breathing. Then he began to walk, his men following him to the beach where the Mantine's were waiting. Ash wanted to scream, to chase him down, to grab his father by the collar of his damn shirt and slap some sense into him. But Kadabra's psychic restraints held him in place, which gave him the _privilege_ of watching his father leave him...again.

Once the group was situated on the back of a Mantine, Kadabra glanced back at Ash and released its hold on him. Ash fell to the ground once his freedom was restored. Raising his head to look up, Ash could see his father fading into the distance. Even if he raced down to the shoreline to board another Mantine, they would have been long gone. With no other option, Ash could only pound the sand of the beach angrily.

Even after talking to his father face to face, the man was but an enigma to him.

* * *

Charles Goodshow gave a sigh of relief as he leaned back into the sofa in his office. It was nights like these that he lived for, but the toll on him increased alongside his age. Organizing these nights every weekend was no small matter. There was so much to consider with each match.

The goal of the underground circuit was to bring out the best in each trainer and Pokemon that were participating. Charles also went through the trouble of trying to keep the matches balanced to keep the gambling community honest. The last thing he needed was someone thinking these matches were rigged.

In most cases, Charles would speak to the sponsor of a trainer in order to set up a match. However, there were a few occasions where Charles had to meet the trainer in person and 'convince' them to take part in a battle. This was a requirement when trying to get Aaron Ketchum to battle publicly. This man was elusive and crafty, slipping from one shadow to the next in Vermilion City. Fortunately, Charles possessed a few ties to the Red Skulls that made this task more bearable.

Aaron was stubborn, so it typically took two or three meetings with him to get him to actually commit to a battle. Even though it was a process to get this man to make an appearance, it was always worth the effort with the show he would put on. It was obvious why this man was one of the Five Kings of Vermilion City and with his alias on the schedule would guarantee a full house.

Hearing some commotion from outside of his office, Charles rose from his seat. Before he could step away from his desk the ruckus had reached the door of his office which had been thrown open by a spiky-haired male. Behind this young man, Charles saw his assistant who was clearly irritated with their uninvited guest.

"Mr. Goodshow, if I could just have a moment of your time." He began, bowing deeply as an apology for barging into his office. Charles could see that his assistant was eager to send this person away, but Charles didn't have the heart to do so. After all, he made it to this point in his life by listening to those who approached him in just such a fashion. Only people with a clear goal in mind would barge into his office like this.

Motioning for his assistant to leave them, the young man beamed at Charles and thanked him graciously for this. He shut the door to his office and then quickly approached Charles's desk as the gentleman got situated in his seat once again.

"So, what can I do for you?" Charles asked him, though he had a hunch already.

"My name is Brock, and I'm trying to help a friend of mine get into the circuit." Brock began. Charles merely raised his brow in response, so Brock continued. "Now I know a lot of people come to you to make this request, but I have to tell you that you'd be making a big mistake passing on my friend."

"Well, you're right about one thing. A lot of people do come to me to make this request." Charles replied with a snort. He was the commissioner of the circuit, so a lot of people assumed that kissing his butt was the fastest way to get in.

Charles wouldn't have any of that. Every trainer that was invited to take part in the underground circuit all had one similarity. They were excellent trainers. It was a simple as that. Trying to grease his palms and flatter him with compliments wouldn't make Charles' view of a trainer any less critical. Only the most skilled and powerful trainers could take part.

"I'd like to believe that I perceive talent the way you do sir," Brock said respectfully to Charles, looking him straight in the eyes. "I've seen my fair share of Pokemon battles in this city, and believe me, my friend is something special. Some of the people he's beaten have told me the same thing."

Charles placed an elbow on his desk, using his hand to begin to stroke his short beard. Under any other circumstance, Charles would've ignored how Brock was praising his friend. Charles only trusted his own eye test, but Brock's comment about perceiving talent seemed to resonate within him. His curiosity was piqued.

"Tell me about someone your friend has beaten." Charles said, leaning back into his seat as he waited for Brock's answer.

This was his test during these interviews. Charles knew all of the strong trainers in Vermilion City. If a trainer seeking entry into the underground circuit couldn't beat any of the trainers he knew, then they didn't belong here.

"Giselle." Brock stated and Charles raised his brow again, but this time surprise was evident in his expression.

"Ah, now there's a trainer I had high hopes for." Charles commented, taking a few moments to briefly recall what he could about Giselle. He saw a few videos of her battles with circuit trainers. She could easily hold her own against all of them, but she turned down the invitations to join the underground circuit.

Charles smiled faintly at the thought of Brock's friend defeating Giselle. If this was true, then this trainer was certainly worth considering.

"Who is he?" Charles asked Brock, earning a grin from him.

"Ash Ketchum."

Charles blinked a few times, unable to hide his clear shock now. Ketchum? As in, Aaron Ketchum's son? He didn't even know Aaron had a son, but considering how reclusive that man was it was no surprise that this was a well-kept secret. Charles' mind began to run wild at the prospect of the two of them having a battle. If this was indeed Aaron's son then this boy certainly had the pedigree to become a fantastic trainer and battler.

"Aaron's boy...how old is he?" Charles inquired.

"Almost eighteen." Brock responded, and Charles' jaw dropped.

Eighteen!? A teenager that was already on par with other circuit trainers? The doubts Charles in the back of Charles' mind concerning Brock's friend faded with each new piece of information he received. Regardless of how much Charles learned, his eye test would still have the final say.

"Bring me a recording of a battle he has _with Giselle_." Charles specified. "I want to see this for myself."

Charles had seen many, many great trainers, but this was the first time in two years that he found himself anxiously waiting to see a trainer in action!

* * *

Brock was ecstatic during the ride back to the Vermilion City shoreline. While the other passengers on the Mantine were discussing the battles they witnessed, Brock was anxiously thinking about the next battle he would see. Ash against Giselle, but this time there was more to it than just practice. This was his chance to get into the underground circuit!

It wouldn't be a problem to get Trevor to record this battle, and then all he would have to do is deliver this video to Charles as soon as he got the recording. Charles gave Brock his contact information in order to arrange a meeting between them. The older man also extended his generosity to Brock by giving him two tickets to return to the Hidden Cove the following weekend for Ash to see another set of battles. These tickets were very expensive, so Brock didn't spare a moment in showing his gratitude.

As the Mantine arrived at the shore, Brock couldn't help but grin up at the dark skies, excited over the prospects of what was going to take place this week. About two weeks ago he and Ash decided to focus on entering the underground circuit, and Brock wasn't expecting to make this much progress in such a short amount of time. He thought it was going to be much harder to convince Charles to give Ash a shot, but with that out of the way now, they could focus on finding Ash a sponsor. _That_ would be their real challenge.

Stooping down to thank Mantine for the ride, Brock jumped to the rocky shoreline to begin his walk back to the parking lot. It was about a mile from here, so Brock was expecting to meet Ash here at the shore. His friend was nowhere to be found. Taking out his phone, Brock sent him a text for his location.

Ash's response came quickly, telling him that he was already at Brock's car. Brock raised his brow with intrigue at the response, wondering if Ash was alright. The expression his friend wore just before he left to pursue his father left Brock feeling uneasy. He had the same look in his eyes from the night Brock picked him up at the hospital when Cassidy went down. Ash was feeling lost.

Brock jogged, shortening the time it would take him to his car. Returning to the parking lot, Brock found his car with Ash seated on the hood of it.

"Hey man." Brock called out to him.

"Hey." Ash said flatly as he glanced back at his friend. Despite the dim lighting of the parking lot, Brock saw Ash's gloomy expression clearly.

"You okay?" Brock asked as Ash hopped off the hood of the car, heading over to the passenger side. He didn't respond until he was seated with his seatbelt on.

"I don't really know right now." Ash replied softly as Brock got into the driver's seat. Brock started the engine with a small frown, realizing that Ash's attempt to speak with his father must not have gone so well.

"What happened with your dad? If you want to share, that is. You don't have to if you don't want to." Brock quickly added, but Ash waved off his concerns.

"It's cool. You know, it's been more than ten years since I've seen him, so I was kind of expecting...something, you know?" Ash explained although he struggled to articulate it. "Like...it's been so long that I thought I didn't care anymore. But when I saw him I just started to remember everything and-" Ash stopped, clapping his hands against his cheeks with a sigh of aggravation. "-I don't know! I don't want to care about him, but I do, and I don't know why!"

"It's because he's your dad, man." Brock reasoned with him. "You can't help it."

Ash took a moment to consider what Brock said while his friend began to drive, reversing out of his parking spot. He didn't like what Brock shared with him, but there was some truth in his statement. Ash spent the last ten years reducing his expectations of his father, whittling them down to the point where he didn't expect a damn thing from him. Yet, just the sight of him suddenly filled his heart with thoughts of restoring what they lost all these years.

Ash opened a small piece of heart for his father, and he regretted doing that now. Ash got exactly what he _should have_ expected from his father.

Nothing at all.

Brock gave Ash plenty of time to think while he drove, but he could sense that Ash needed something to boost his mood. Especially since they had an exciting week ahead of them.

"So, guess who I spoke to," Brock said to Ash. Ash pursed his lips, taking a few moments to think about who Brock might have spoken to. After some time, he gave up, shrugging his shoulders as a motion for Brock to continue. "The commissioner himself, Charles Goodshow."

Now that earned a proper response from Ash as he looked straight at Brock with an expression of shock.

"How'd you pull that off? Doesn't he have security or something?" Ash inquired.

"You'd think he would, but I guess considering the Hidden Cove is pretty secluded he doesn't really need to have security," Brock responded. "-but get this, he's gonna give you a shot."

It took a moment for this to register in Ash's mind, that the commissioner was actually going to give him a spot in the circuit. It almost sounded too good to be true.

"For real?" Ash exclaimed, and Brock grinned at him.

"For real," Brock repeated with a nod. "He just wants to see you battle Giselle again. I'll have Trevor record it for us, and then next weekend I'll drop it off for him."

"Aww sweet!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist.

"We're halfway there. All we gotta do is get you a sponsor." Brock stated, and Ash grew quiet as he remembered his father's direction.

 _"You already found your sponsor, Berlitz. Just tell him your name...he'll get you in."_

'Berlitz' was Dawn's father. Would that man really be the key to getting into the underground circuit?

* * *

A/N

Hey everyone, I'm back with another chapter and as promised, things are starting to get real. I'm especially looking forward to the next chapter which my beta and I have already started working on together so it should be up soon than later.

Two important characters were introduced in this chapter.

 **Charles Goodshow.** You may or may not remember him from the anime since he hasn't been seen since the Lily of the Valley Conference. Much like his anime counterpart, Charles Goodshow is _running the show_ in my fic as well. Forgive me for that awful joke lol. But he is an integral part of this plot as his position might suggest, so be prepared to see plenty more of him in the future.

 **Aaron Ketchum.** Ash's papa. I know there's been some wild speculation about who Ash's father is, but I figured rather than playing the Giovanni card or something like that, it would just be safer to run with an OC. Obviously, there is a lot to talk about with him, but that discussion is for a later date. Right now his first appearance is really just a tease for what's to come.

Give me some feedback or ask me questions, leave a review, PM me, whatever the heck you feel like doing! I'm always happy to talk and I've had tons of great ideas just talking with those of you who message me from time to time.

Gotta give props to my beta reader MjrGenMatt for all his help. Any praise you give to me I'll just redirect to him because he does all the heavy lifting lol. Thanks to everyone for reading, and I'll see you again soon!


	19. Because I'm Me

**Chapter 19**

* * *

 **Sunday, November 20th**

Ash gulped nervously as he looked up at the large gateway that sealed off the 'Berlitz' property.

He hadn't given any thought to the security of this residence.

Ash didn't have a problem with showing up at someone's doorstep uninvited, but as he stared at the pair of bodyguards outside the front door, he shrunk. All the security measures that were taken for Dawn's father meant that it wasn't going to be easy to get into their home. Fortunately, this did confirm that Mr. Berlitz was currently home.

"I just have to get in there." Ash noted, recalling all of the brain-storming that he did the previous night.

Aaron gave him very straightforward instructions on how to meet with Mr. Berlitz, but Ash wasn't so sure if he could trust his father's words. The man was so indifferent, so...enigmatic, that Ash struggled to accept his direction. Rather, Ash spent the night thinking about how to enter the household of this tycoon, trying to think of what he would have to say to meet with Mr. Berlitz.

He thought mentioning Dawn would be a good idea at first, but Ash tossed that thought out. Of course, a father might misinterpret a boy mentioning that he was familiar with his daughter. It might have been safer to say that he had an interest in the type of business that Mr. Berlitz worked in, and that he aspired to become a tycoon as well. Hopefully, that would be enough to earn him an audience with Mr. Berlitz, where he could explain himself properly.

Stepping to the side so that he could use the intercom, Ash hit the buzzer and waited for a response. A clicked sounded before a female voice answered.

"Good morning, how can I help you?" She asked him.

"Uh, hello. My name is Ash Ketchum, I'd like to meet with Mr. Berlitz." Ash replied, fighting off the quiver in his voice. Now wasn't a time to get nervous.

"Concerning?"

Ash froze, needing to go over his plan once more before he could get the words out properly.

"Um...a possible, internship." Ash barely got this out in one sentence, trying to keep everything together. "I'm interested in his line of work, so I wanted to meet with him to go over the details."

"Do you have an appointment with him?" She inquired pointedly. Ash took a moment to lick his lips, wondering which answer would get him in.

He was already trying to get in using a fake story, and he didn't enjoy lying in order to get this meeting. But he had too much riding on this one meeting to let this slip away.

…

"Uh, no. I know he's a busy guy. I was hoping he could squeeze me in." Ash admitted, and he could hear the woman click her tongue in response.

"Well, I'm sorry. As you said Mr. Berlitz is a very busy man. He'll be in Vermilion City for one week and almost all of his time has been accounted for already." She explained which caused Ash to frown. "If you'd like to arrange an appointment with him in the future, I'll give you a number that can use to contact us in the week."

Ash sucked in his lower lip, tempted to walk away from the intercom. He didn't come all this way to be stopped at the gates to their property. There must have been a way to get just a few minutes of this man's time.

 _"You already found your sponsor, Berlitz. He'll get you in. Just tell him your name...he'll get you in."_

The words from his father rung in his mind like the buzzer of an old doorbell. As irritating as this felt, Ash did not have a choice. He had to trust his father on this one.

"Actually, can you tell him directly that _Ash Ketchum_ wants to speak to him?" Ash stressed his own name.

"I'm sorry, _Ash Ketchum_ -" She stressed his name in response, and Ash felt as though she was mocking him, "-but Mr. Berlitz is in a conference call currently. I can't disturb him."

Ash groaned inwardly, making a face at the intercom.

"And there is a camera, _Ash Ketchum_ , I can see you." She added snidely. "So, my suggestion is to make an appointment before I reconsider doing that much for you."

Ash examined the intercom briefly, searching for where the camera could be located. He failed to consider the thought of there being a camera, a mistake on his part, but he didn't appreciate the attitude of this woman. Right before Ash could comply, he heard a short exchange taking place on the other end, which was followed by some shuffling.

"Hello, Ash!" A new yet familiar voice exclaimed. "It's Darach if you remember me."

Ash looked up for a moment before making the connection that this was the butler. The man who made those amazing sliders!

"I knew I heard a familiar voice on the intercom. It wasn't until I heard your name that I realized who it was." Darach explained. "So, you want to meet with Mr. Berlitz?"

"Yeah, can you get me in?" Ash asked hopefully.

"You came at the perfect time. I'm about to deliver some coffee to Mr. Berlitz, so I'll have an opportunity to interrupt his call. I'll put in a word for you." Darach explained, and a smile broke out on Ash's face.

"That would be great!" Ash exclaimed.

"In the meantime, come inside. If you need a water bottle there's a cooler right by the front door for the guards there." Darach added as the gate unlocked.

"Thank you, I'll see you inside." Ash said as he left to walk up the driveway. When he made it to the front porch, one of the guards stopped him and requested to have a look into the backpack he brought. Recalling that this was the procedure from last time, Ash agreed and allowed them to search it while the other guard checked his clothing for anything that could've been hidden away. Once they cleared Ash for entry, the front doors of the estate were opened and Ash entered the grand foyer. After a few moments, a dark-haired woman entered the foyer with a less than pleasant expression followed closely by Darach who held a platter in one hand with a trio of cups on it.

The two of them came straight over to Ash, and Darach bowed to Ash once he was close enough.

"You'll have to forgive her-" Darach nodded his head toward the woman standing beside him, "-she wasn't aware of the fact that you are an acquaintance of Miss Dawn and a valued guest of this household."

"My apologies." She stated, her lips pursed as she did so. Ash recognized her voice as the same person that gave him a hard time through the intercom.

"It's no big deal." Ash accepted her apology, deciding that for now, the best choice was to keep the peace rather than be petty about their last exchange.

"This way Ash, I'll take you to the room in which Mr. Berlitz is hosting his conference call." Darach said as he motioned for Ash to follow him. Moving a few paces behind Darach, Ash glanced back at the woman as he left the foyer and made the same face he had earlier to the camera. Her cheeks reddened as she shot him a glare, allowing Ash to exit with a smug grin knowing that he would have the last laugh.

Returning his focus to Darach, Ash followed him into a short corridor with a large pair of doors at the end. Ash could only assume that this was their destination. As they arrived at the door, Darach approached a small intercom beside the door and pressed it.

"Yes?" A rather irritated voice asked.

"Your ten o'clock coffee, Master Berlitz." Darach stated, gaining a sigh in response. The doors parted, allowing Darach to enter and Ash to catch a glimpse of what this room looked like. The room was fairly large, with a massive television mounted on the far wall. A long table sat at the center of the room, with a large office chair turned to face the monitor.

The doors shut before Ash could see any other details, which left him to return to his thoughts. After considering how he had done on his attempt to get into the Berlitz Estate, he needed to make sure that he would be able to speak concisely. But did he really need a game plan, or would his surname bail him out again?

Before Ash could reach a conclusion, the doors to the room parted again and Darach stepped out.

"He will see you now." Darach stated as he stepped aside and raised one arm. Peering into this room once again, Ash could see the monitor was off and the tall chair had spun around to face the entryway. In it sat a dark haired man with his elbows placed on the table so that his hands could support his chin. He stared at Ash closely as he stepped into the room. The stare he was receiving from Mr. Berlitz felt ominous.

The doors shut behind him, and Ash felt a chill run up his spine as he realized that it was just the two of them. An awkward silence set in as Mr. Berlitz studied him, following his every movement. Ash stepped up to the opposite end of the table and licked his lips before he began to speak.

"Good morning, Mr. Berlitz."

The man nodded to him.

"My name is Ash Ketchum, and...I was told you could sponsor me as a trainer in the underground circuit."

Mr. Berlitz eyed Ash closely, examining each of his features. The messy raven hair, the birthmarks on both of his cheeks and eyes that simply oozed an unwavering sense of determination. Mr. Berlitz lowered his head slightly to conceal a growing smile behind his hands. This young man resembled his father in more ways than one.

"Well-" Mr. Berlitz exhaled and leaned back into his seat. "-I think I've seen it all. A _kid_ that thinks he has what it takes to be a Pokemon trainer."

Ash bit his lower lip to halt a hasty response. Regardless of what Mr. Berlitz said, he would have to hold his tongue. If this was his one shot to get a sponsor, his first impression needed to be great. Backtalk was out of the question.

"Do you know what you're getting into if you become a Pokemon trainer?" Mr. Berlitz asked him. "Because I get the feeling you have a very narrow-minded view of all of this. Pokemon, it's not a sport that's _fun_ , that you can do on the weekends. It's a business."

Ash felt his stomach turn at the statement. He already didn't like this man, and all it took was three words.

"I've made a lot of investments in the underground circuit, all of which have led to some very profitable returns. If I were to invest in you and form a partnership, what could I expect from you?" Mr. Berlitz inquired sternly, raising his head. His eyes were sharp as he waited for Ash to speak, ready to pick apart his answer.

"If...If it's money you want, then we want the same thing. A partnership between us would have a mutual goal. And when people working together have the same goal in mind, the odds of success are also in their favor." Ash reasoned, looking directly into Mr. Berlitz eyes. The man raised his brow and the corner of his lips turned upward.

"Ash." Mr. Berlitz began. "I want you to know that I've never personally sponsored a trainer in the underground circuit. And yet, I'm going to do just that with you. Now you might be asking yourself, 'why would he do that?' And the answer is simple, you have a connection to something I want. Your father."

Ash blinked, needing a moment to process what he heard. This man would be _using him_ to get to his father.

"Why?" Ash blurted out, unable to keep his tone even.

"Your father and I were partners long ago. We still have some business to settle, but if there's one thing I've learned about your father, it's that the man knows how to disappear." Mr. Berlitz explained. Ash could agree with Mr. Berlitz, though he didn't do so verbally.

"So, he made some kind of deal with you but he didn't come through in the end? Is that what happened?" Ash pressed, trying to gather a little more information about his father. Mr. Berlitz paused, taking a moment to consider what he should share with Ash.

"...Yes. That is the best way to put it."

"Wouldn't be the first time he's done that," Ash muttered under his breath, realizing that he _did_ have something in common with Mr. Berlitz. "I saw my father for the first time in years last night. He's still a Pokemon trainer, and I'm going to have a match with him."

Mr. Berlitz opened his mouth to speak but held his tongue. He used this time to size Ash up, wondering what could possess this young man to challenge his father to a Pokemon battle. This wealthy man saw Aaron Ketchum battle in the past and there wasn't an ounce of doubt in his mind that Aaron was an exceptional trainer. How could Ash hope to compete with such an opponent?

"What makes you think you could beat your father?" Mr. Berlitz asked, skepticism clear in his voice. Ash was too young to command respect from the circuit trainers. The competition would be fierce and ruthless, a place that wouldn't welcome Ash with open arms.

"I don't think I can...yet," Ash stated firmly. "I've seen what the circuit trainers can do, and I still have a lot of work to do. But I'm willing to put the work in, and practice day and night until I get my chance to show everyone what I can do."

Mr. Berlitz snorted before raising his hands in a gesture to their surroundings.

"This house and everything in it, do you think I got it by _chance_?"

Mr. Berlitz wore a small smirk as Ash took a moment to look around at his luxurious home. Obviously, Mr. Berlitz was rich; Ash had seen his home enough times to know, not to mention he had been on the receiving end of Dawn's generosity. There was no doubt in his mind that the money he accepted from Dawn came out of her father's back pocket.

Certainly, this man worked hard to obtain all of this.

"Of course not. I'll bet you worked your tail off to get all of this." Ash responded, gaining a chuckle from him.

"I did more than that Ash. To claim something you truly want, you have to be decisive. There is no room for hesitation. Everything I have now, I _took_ at the first opportunity." Mr. Berlitz proclaimed, looking around at his home. "Now I understand that you need an opportunity to act upon. I will grant you that, but I want you to understand that I will not hesitate to drop you at the moment our partnership becomes...unhealthy."

"So...you're going to sponsor me?" Ash asked, and the man nodded slowly. Ash kept a straight face, but he closed both his hands into fists in a small act of celebration. This was it! He was going to become a circuit trainer! He was one step closer to that battle with his father and finding out what happened the day his mom died.

"There are some, conditions." Mr. Berlitz added, piquing Ash's curiosity.

"What kind of conditions?"

"I'll remind you of the first one. If you fail me, even once, this partnership is over." Mr. Berlitz stated causing Ash to gulp.

He would have no room for error from this day forward.

"And you might not be aware of it, but I'm more familiar with you than you might think Ash." Ash furrowed his eyebrow when Mr. Berlitz said this. "My daughter speaks very fondly of you, and as of this moment-" His voice became threatening as he made his final statement. " _I-don't-like-that_."

"Huh?"

"You're now a circuit trainer Ash. As far as the public is concerned, _you_ are a menace. A danger to society. A threat to public safety. I will not have my daughter associate with such a person." Mr. Berlitz revealed, further confusing Ash by the sudden turn their discussion took. "If my daughter gets caught up in anything, and I mean _anything_ -" He stressed this word as a warning to Ash, "-that involves Pokemon, I will hold you accountable."

"But-" Ash tried to speak but Mr. Berlitz continued.

"As I said, my daughter has taken a liking to you. I can't control that, but your relationship with her will _not_ progress any further than what it presently is. Am I clear?"

The stare Ash received from Mr. Berlitz sent a shiver down his back. This was a warning from a protective father, and with the kind of money this man possessed, who knew what he could do to Ash?

The effect of this threat was short-lived as Ash thought about the bluenette. Their contact had been limited during the past few weeks with everything that had taken place, but this didn't stop Ash from thinking about her every so often. Ever since Nando's piano recital, he began to view Dawn…differently.

Ash attributed this to Nando's performance. His friend and classmate showed him some of the deeper aspects of the young lady in question, and Ash found himself contemplating having...something _more_ than friendship with her. But with her father seated before him, Ash buried any feelings for her that may have surfaced.

He couldn't let this chance slip through his fingers.

Not for anyone.

Everything he ever wanted was laid out right in front of him. He could finally be a real Pokemon trainer. Not only in name, but through his accomplishments.

He could pursue his father, and one day battle him, defeat him, and get the truth about his mother out of him.

Then there was the big picture - this was his first step toward changing everyone's opinion of Pokemon and trainers alike.

Shaking his head, Ash knew that he couldn't give all of this up for Dawn.

"I understand." Ash said with a nod, and Mr. Berlitz wore a small smile of approval. It was good to see that Ash possessed the resolve to stay focused on his goals. Rising from his seat, Mr. Berlitz traveled around the table to approach Ash.

"Well then, Ash Ketchum, it's a pleasure to meet you." Mr. Berlitz said, extending a hand toward Ash, who returned the gesture. They shook hands to mark the beginning of this partnership. "My name is Malcolm Berlitz."

* * *

Ash wrestled with his thoughts, trying to piece together everything that happened within the Berlitz Estate.

It was official. He was going to be a circuit trainer.

But something still felt off to him. He went into that meeting with Malcolm hoping to answer some of the strange questions that developed from the prior night.

Why would his surname get him a meeting with a business tycoon? Now Ash understood that his father worked with Malcolm in the past, and it was clear that there were still a few matters that were presently unsettled between them. But this left Ash to wonder what his father did with Malcolm? What was it that made this man so desperate to get into contact with Aaron?

Ash wasn't quite so sure he wanted to know the answer, or if he even needed to know. At this point, his only concern regarding Aaron Ketchum was the details that surrounded the passing of his mother, Delia.

Clapping his hands against his cheeks, Ash realized there was only one step left to become a circuit trainer.

All he had to do was impress Charles Goodshow.

One spectacular performance against Giselle and everything would be set. He and Pikachu weren't shy about practicing since their first session with Giselle. Training with Pikachu had lived up to the expectations Ash developed. Every day was a grind as they tackled all of the projects, making a little progress by the time the sunset each day.

Giselle was a gold mine of tips and tricks, and Ash was using her teachings as a basis for his own ideas. Ash wasn't the analytical type like Giselle, but after mimicking her battle style for the past week, he learned to appreciate her tactics. If she kept the early stages of the battle under control, she would have the distinct advantage of understanding her opponents' tendencies as they entered the endgame.

In fact, Ash became rather fearful of her, now that he understood what was going through her mind. The mere thought of her manipulating her opponent throughout the battle sent chills through his body. He wanted a convincing win over Giselle, but there was no denying that battling her as frequently as he did played to her strengths. He was feeding her information about himself, and that could be his own undoing.

So, what were his options against Giselle?

He learned quite a bit about her through their battles. It was fair to say that he might be able to use her own strategy against her, though he wouldn't be surprised if she saw right through him the instant the battle started. Whenever he battled Giselle, Ash was always trying to pick apart her defense, trying to creating angles for Pikachu to attack from to further open up their options. If he wasn't battling like that, how soon would she realize what he was really planning?

Ash blinked a few times after feeling the bus come to a stop. This was a large bus stop in front of an apartment complex where several people were entering and exiting. They were still about thirty minutes from his stop, but this lapse in thought spared him a moment to glance out the window. Ash saw a pair of older men seated at a stone table, playing a game of chess. His eyes widened as he realized that this game perfectly mirrored how Giselle battled.

Over the course of a battle, the information she gathered about her opponent was used to eventually force them into position for a _checkmate_. Giselle was always thinking ahead, planning possibly three or four moves ahead in a battle. If Ash was going to beat her, he needed to figure out how to interrupt her plans, otherwise, he and Pikachu would be forced into a checkmate themselves.

Watching as one of the gentlemen picked up their queen and moved her across the board to take a new position, Ash felt a grin break out on his face. The queen was the strongest piece on the chess board because of the freedom she could move with. There was no limits on what position a queen could take.

 _That_ was the biggest advantage they had against Giselle. Pikachu could command more of the field than Giselle's Cubone. How would they use this against her? Scratching at his chin, Ash knew that this wasn't something he could answer immediately. But he knew the answer to this question was what would allow them to surpass Giselle and compete with any circuit trainer.

* * *

 **Monday, November 21st**

Ash licked his lips, his heart thumping in his chest. When was the last time he was nervous about a battle? He couldn't even remember – actually, he was lying to himself. Nervous couldn't begin to describe what he was feeling the night he first met Brock. That was a long story, one for another day, but that was the night of his first street battle. Ash was shaking in his shoes as he stood at the center of the audience, amazed that all of these people were going to watch _him_ battle.

He didn't have an audience this time, but there was a lot at stake. The presence of Trevor and the two cameras he set up on both sides of the clearing was a reminder of what he was battling for. To give the commissioner of the underground circuit a good show.

"Ash, how ya feeling?" Brock inquired as he plopped down beside his friend. Ash made a face, contorting his lips in a gesture of uncertainty.

"I don't know man. I really want to nail this battle _and_ look good in it, but I still haven't thought of a way to beat Giselle like that." Ash admitted, glancing over the young woman and her Cubone. They were going through some last-minute preparations for their battle, and Ash could bet that she was filling Cubone in on what to look out for during the battle.

"Ash, forget about all that man," Brock said to him with a gesture to brush these thoughts aside. "I think you're forgetting the point of this battle. It's to show the commissioner what _you are-"_ He pointed at Ash, giving him a stern look. "-Not what you're not. Don't try to beat Giselle by battling like her, do things the way Ash Ketchum would do them."

Ash blinked, letting that phrase settle into his mind. He liked hearing that.

Do things the way _Ash Ketchum_ would do them.

A grin broke out on his face as he took hold of the visor of his cap, adjusting it slightly on his head.

"Come on Pikachu." Ash said to his partner, extending his arm for Pikachu to climb up onto his shoulder. Seeing Ash's grin once it was situated, Pikachu couldn't help but smile now that Ash returned to his usual mindset. He spent so much time yesterday holed up in his room, racking his brain to form a plan to outwit Giselle.

Pikachu spent some time with him trying to brainstorm, but it could see how much Ash was frustrating himself over this. Planning things out wasn't his strong suit. Ash was spontaneous, and he was going against his natural inclinations by trying to beat Giselle before the battle even started. It was sucking all of the fun out of battling for him. Thankfully, some choice words from Brock helped Ash relax.

Ash rose to his feet and took his place on one side of the clearing, anxious to start the battle. Seeing Ash and Pikachu take their position, Giselle smirked a bit and motioned for Cubone to follow her as they moved to their spot. The group of four looked toward Brock, waiting for him to take his post as the referee of this match.

"Trevor, are we good to go?" Brock called out to the amber-haired young man. Making a few last moment adjustments to the camera, Trevor glanced at his laptop to check the resolution before giving everyone a thumbs up.

It was showtime.

"Alright, this is a one on one Pokemon battle between Ash and Giselle." Brock began, mimicking the introductions that were used by official referees. "Trainers, are you ready?"

Brock glanced from one person to the next, receiving a confirmation nod from each of them. With a smile he raised his arms, declaring that the battle could begin.

"Pikachu, this is it, buddy. Let's go!" Ash hollered as Pikachu leaped from his shoulder to the grassy field with a shout of excitement.

"Cubone, we're not holding anything back today." Giselle declared as her partner Pokemon stepped out onto their battlefield, giving Pikachu a sharp stare. There would be no mercy in this battle.

If his smile could get any wider, Ash was certain it did as he observed his opponents. Giselle and Cubone seemed a whole lot stronger today, almost as if their declaration to not hold anything back meant that they had always been holding back against him. Could that be true? Did they have another gear to shift up to for this battle?

For whatever reason, this thought made him even more excited. He would overcome anything they threw at him.

"Then let's start strong Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Ash started off, pumping a fist. He could hardly contain himself!

Pikachu burst forward at the command, closing the distance between itself and its opponent in the span it took Giselle to inhale. Pikachu struck Cubone head on, slamming its shoulder into the torso of the masked Pokemon. Cubone glared down at Pikachu in response, causing Pikachu to shiver as it realized Cubone hadn't been staggered from this hit. Such a light hit wouldn't suffice against Cubone's defense.

"Get ready Pikachu!" Ash called out as Cubone threw out a punch at Pikachu. This was everything they worked on for the last week. Close quarter combat.

Pikachu ducked beneath the punch, but Cubone was quick to follow up by sweeping at Pikachu's feet with its bone. Expecting to feel the impact of its bone meeting Pikachu's body, Cubone was completely thrown off when its attack passed right through Pikachu. Stumbling for an instant, Cubone hardly had a chance to react before it was hit from the side by Pikachu which sent it tumbling away.

Giselle frowned slightly, refusing to show her dismay openly. In about a week Pikachu progressed to the point where it gained a very good grasp of how to accelerate even in tough situations. This opened up a whole new world for Pikachu, now that it could activate a move like Double Team without needing to build up speed beforehand. The practice for this was brutal, but the results were beginning to show already.

Brock called it 'sidestep' practice. Three small lanes were cut into the grass for Pikachu to stand in while Ash and Brock would throw stones at it from a short distance. Pikachu was only allowed to jump from one lane to the next in order to dodge these stones. This helped Pikachu grasp both how to accelerate and decelerate at the drop of a hat, and these movement restrictions were a perfect simulation for fighting at close range. With a week's worth of practice, Pikachu was much better at close quarter combat, to the point where it could battle at Cubone's range for a short period of time.

"Okay Cubone, let's stick to our original plan." Giselle called out as her partner got back on its feet, casting a sharp stare at Pikachu.

Cubone grew to respect Pikachu's speed since they first met, but it was reaching a point where battling Pikachu was becoming a frustrating experience. There was no denying that Pikachu was quick, but now it was learning to take advantage of its speed, and it was making Cubone miserable. The bone-wielding Pokemon was probably the only one keeping track of how many hits it scored on Pikachu as they practiced, and that number was steadily decreasing with each session that took place. In the pit of its stomach, Cubone feared the thought of Pikachu becoming an untouchable opponent.

Taking a deep breath, Cubone tightened its grip on its weapon and raised its free hand as a gesture for Pikachu to attack. Pikachu grinned at the invitation and charged forward at Ash's command.

Fortunately, Cubone could take solace in knowing it belonged to an excellent trainer. Giselle worked tirelessly on developing strategies to counter Pikachu's speed, and Cubone would demonstrate one of them. Raising bone, Cubone smashed it into the field to show its strength. The field in front of it shattered, portions of it being uprooted to deny Pikachu a direct approach. In a fraction of a second Pikachu altered its course and dashed into Cubone from the side.

With an instant to determine what side Pikachu would be attacking from, Cubone was glad to know that it narrowed down Pikachu's options. It glanced one way, and seeing that there was no blur to mark Pikachu's location, Cubone spun and whipped its bone out in the opposite direction. The side that Pikachu _should_ have been attacking from.

Their plan worked to perfection as Giselle watched it unfold. Whittling down Pikachu' options on where it could attack from made it far easier for Cubone to react before Pikachu attacked. Pikachu came skidding to a halt as it saw Cubone turn to face it with its bone poised to strike, but once again Cubone's attack passed right through Pikachu. Giselle clicked her tongue, unable to conceal the irritation in her expression. Pikachu's growth was rapid, to the point where it was simply beginning to outclass Cubone with its speed.

Keeping its footing this time, Cubone relaxed and remembered its instructions from Giselle. Every time Pikachu escaped them, Cubone would have to rely on its hearing. Pikachu was too quick to follow with eyesight alone. They had to use all of their senses to try and keep up with this speedy Pokemon.

Listening intently for Pikachu's footsteps, Cubone heard a gust of wind from behind it and turned with its bone raised to blow Pikachu's attack. Using its weapon to block a tail strike, Cubone adjusted its grip in an effort to reposition its bone quickly and pin Pikachu to the ground. This proved to be futile as Pikachu placed on foot on Cubone's bone and tore off in another burst of speed. Slamming the ground with its bone again in frustration, a chunk of the field broke up as Cubone tried to calm itself. This moment where it wasn't tracking its opponent allowed Pikachu to score another hit which forced it to stumble backward.

Obviously, it was getting upset trying to keep up with Pikachu, and Giselle scolding it for losing its temper wasn't any help.

"Pikachu, get em' with Quick Attack again!" Ash called out and Pikachu rushed in again, a smirk on its face as it was beginning to see the fruits of its labor. Cubone couldn't keep up with it in the slightest.

"Cubone, focus!" Giselle said sharply.

This command from Giselle forced Ash to analyze the battle as quickly as he could. Even though he and Pikachu had a clear advantage, Giselle wasn't going to admit defeat for this battle. So, what did she have up her sleeve to try and level the playing field?

"Bone Club!" Giselle called out and Cubone took a few steps forward, placing itself at the center of the cracked area it created. The _uneven_ portion of the field?

It took Ash a moment too long to understand how Cubone positioned itself to counter Pikachu. Due to the varying obstacles around Cubone, Pikachu didn't have a direct course once again which delayed its attack, but Pikachu also slowed down in an effort to make sure it didn't get any of its paws caught in any of the cracks. All of this gave Cubone ample time to prepare for Pikachu's next attack.

Spotting Pikachu as it approached, Cubone faced the direction it was attacking from and swung hard at its opponent. Pikachu managed to fall back onto its bottom to slide beneath this blow, but it was now trapped with Cubone on the uneven field where a concerted effort was required to make sure Pikachu didn't misstep. Now Ash understood what Giselle had in store for them. She allowed Pikachu to land all of those hits and even acted like she didn't have an answer to it as she and Cubone slowly prepared the field to trap Pikachu.

Giselle wore a confident smirk as she stared at the scene, impressed that everything went according to plan. The key to it was Cubone showing its displeasure. It convinced both Ash and Pikachu that they were struggling to land an attack, and it all paid off. Now Pikachu would be fighting at arm's length from Cubone, _and_ they negated its speed to a degree.

Checkmate.

"Wow, that was really clever Giselle!" Ash exclaimed now that he put all the pieces together.

"It had to be. It's the only way I can beat you now." Giselle admitted as their Pokemon observed each other intently. Ash grinned in response, taking a hold of the visor of his cap and adjusting it on his head.

"At first I was nervous about battling you today Giselle," Ash confessed openly, causing her to raise her brow. "I was trying to figure out how to beat you with some crazy plan, but I realized that's _your_ specialty. Mine is winning the battle no matter what. So even though you've got the upper hand, guess what? Here we come!"

Ash made his declaration as he thumbed his nose, raising that hand to point at Giselle, and she instinctively took a step back. She wasn't sure what made her do that, but it felt as though Ash was suddenly exerting a sudden pressure on the field.

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu added exuberantly, stomping its front paws.

Remembering his thoughts from yesterday, Ash saw how Giselle applied the same plan he had to this battle. Use the field to your advantage. She used it to slow Pikachu down, but Ash saw this as a way to take Pikachu's speed up another notch.

"Pikachu, start off with your Agility! Check the field for spots you're comfortable moving on." Ash called out, and Pikachu darted to its side. Without much thought, Pikachu realized that Ash was having it check where it could attack from comfortably in order to retake its speed advantage. Cubone certainly wasn't going to leave this part of the field, not willingly of course so they would have to force it out and a running start would allow them to do just that.

Giselle spent a few moments considering what Ash's command would mean to Pikachu. Throughout her practice battles with Ash, she learned that he didn't communicate everything to Pikachu through speech. Ash could give a small piece of his orders to Pikachu and his partner would follow an entire plan as if Ash relayed all of the information it needed. It didn't give her a lot to work with, but it was good practice for Giselle to work on deciphering an opponent's plans through the commands they gave their Pokemon.

Watching Pikachu dart around the broken-up field, Giselle could see that its speed was gradually rising. It was reaching the point where it was becoming a blur again as it tested out different paths through the jagged area while keeping its distance from Cubone. Giselle blinked and opened her mouth to shout for Cubone to be defensive. Pikachu wasn't just running, it was plotting a course to Cubone where it could move at full speed.

"Cubone!" Giselle hollered, and her Pokemon tightened its stance after hearing the urgency in Giselle's voice. It saw an image of Pikachu landing on the side of some overturned earth that then burst forward, reaching Cubone in an instant. Slamming itself into Cubone's body, Pikachu sent it flying out onto the grassy and flat field where it would have full control of the battle.

"We have to follow up now Pikachu! Close in with Quick Attack and use Double Team if you have to!" Ash called out as he saw Cubone rotate in the air to land on its feet. Cubone jammed its bone into the field to stop itself from skidding backward any further, but this was also another tactic Giselle showed it for Pikachu. The mouse Pokemon was rushing to get in an attack before they could tear up the field again, and they would use that against it.

Lifting up its bone, Cubone also ripped up a portion of the field into the air which it smashed with its bone to send multiple pieces of earth at the approaching Pikachu. Recalling the training it did with Ash and Brock, Pikachu performed sidesteps as it pushed forward, weaving through the chunks of rock to Cubone. Just as Cubone expected, Pikachu reached its destination with relative ease, but to attack there was still one last obstacle.

"Bone Rush!" Giselle barked quickly, seeing that this was the time unveil their secret weapon. Cubone's bone gained a blueish glow before the weapon began to grow until it was twice its original length. They used an incomplete form of Bone Rush last week against Ash and Pikachu and it came with good results. Now, with further practice, Cubone mastered this move, and the difference between then and now was very obvious.

Cubone held its bone from one end, demonstrating its skill as it twirled the weapon before whipping it out at Pikachu. With the additional length of its bone, Cubone was aiming to clip Pikachu, but its bone phased through the after-image of Pikachu.

"Pi-pi-pi-pi." Pikachu breathed out as three copies flickered to life around Cubone. Eyeing each of them for a moment, Cubone went on the attack and swung out with its bone repeatedly. It twirled about, attacking each Pikachu with no particular pattern in hopes of catching it off guard, but Cubone didn't even land a glancing blow. Pikachu was avoiding each attack flawlessly and creating a new image as the previous one faded away. Beads of sweat began to run down Cubone's back as it gasped, looking from one Pikachu to the next. The stamina requirement for Bone Rush was something it still hadn't grown accustomed to for this battle, and Giselle was witnessing the cost of this.

"Now attack Pikachu!" Ash commanded as Cubone's bone reverted back to its original form. Seeing one Pikachu burst forward to attack, Cubone raised its bone to protect itself. Its eyes widen in response to this Pikachu passing right through it, the copy fading away in response to the contact with Cubone.

Spinning on its heels in search of Pikachu, Cubone found that the remaining two Pikachu's were standing behind it, and a third copy formed as well. Taking a step backward, Cubone grunted as it realized it couldn't even anticipate Pikachu's next attack. Pikachu smirked at the sight of Cubone's apprehension, and all three of the images rushed forward to attack from three separate angles.

Looking from one Pikachu to the next, Cubone could only take a guess at this point and hope for a bit of luck. Swinging out its bone at the Pikachu that was approaching from the left, Cubone gained a frown of dismay at the lack of an impact. Then it was immediately hit from the opposite side, a blow that lifted it from the ground and sent it flying several feet. Cubone hit the ground a few times before it came rolling to a stop, losing its bone as it did so. Brock quickly approached Cubone to give it a quick check to see if it was time to call the battle.

He was certain that this battle was over. There was clear evidence of exhaustion written all over Cubone from trying to break Pikachu's Double Team with Bone Rush, but that was all wasted effort. To his surprise though, Cubone was stubbornly trying to get back to its feet, but this action was the straw that broke its back. Its eyes became black swirls and the Pokemon collapsed to the ground. It was official now, Pikachu was clearly the winner.

"Cubone is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!" Brock declared, raising an arm toward Ash.

"HA, we did it!" Ash roared as he raced onto their battlefield to Pikachu. His partner fell back onto its bottom, gasping in relief from the moment Brock announced that the battle was over. Grabbing his partner in his arms, Ash could feel how much Pikachu was sweating and he quickly understood how much energy Pikachu expended to move that fast throughout that battle. "You worked so hard during that battle, you're the best Pikachu!"

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu exclaimed as it relaxed into Ash's arms.

Giselle rested beside her unconscious partner, a hand on its back as she gently rubbed it. They threw everything but the kitchen sink at Ash, and he responded to their every move. Even when they tried to seal off Pikachu's speed, he reacted accordingly and it forced Giselle to acknowledge what would soon be Ash's greatest weapon in a battle.

His innovations.

It was what made this battle his _most_ convincing win over her.

Ash even admitted during the battle that he couldn't emulate her battling style to outwit her, but relying on his tried and true style of battle, he came up with an answer to Giselle's tactics in the heat of the moment. There was no doubt in her mind, Ash and Pikachu's potential was something you'd see once in a generation.

It was almost unnatural how quickly they could apply what they learned. In the coming months, Ash would certainly rise to the top of the underground circuit.

Brock rushed over to Trevor who was already in the process of looking through the footage of Ash's battle. Trevor filmed the battle from two angles, getting several good shots of the exchanges between Pikachu and Cubone. Trevor was grateful that Brock warned him that tracking Pikachu would be difficult. He used one camera to capture the battle from a distance, while he dedicated the second one that he was operating manually to track Pikachu's movement. It was a test of his patience with how quickly Ash's Pokemon moved about the field, but Trevor was amazed that such a small creature could move so quickly.

"So how do you want me to put this together?" Trevor asked Brock as he showed him some of the clips.

"Don't make it anything special. Just make sure that nothing is left out." Brock replied with a smirk, pulling his phone out of his pocket to make a call.

They had everything they needed.

Charles Goodshow was sure to be impressed with Ash from this battle.

* * *

Ash fought to contain a smile as he glanced down at the jump drive he held in his hand. Trevor gave it to him right before he and Brock departed from their training ground on Route 6. It contained the edited footage of his battle with Giselle, which Ash had the privilege of viewing on Trevor's laptop. Seeing himself battle was a little surreal, but Brock said that this was the beginning. Pretty soon he would be able to examine replays of his _professional_ battles using the PokeHub.

The thought of seeing himself on the PokeHub gave Ash goosebumps. His name was going to among all the other great trainers in Vermilion City.

Feeling a tap on his shoulder, Ash looked up at Brock who nodded out to the seawater in front of them. They were on a rocky beach at the western end of Vermilion City, the area they used to get transported to the Hidden Cove this past weekend. Approaching them on the water was an attractive woman riding a Mantine. Stealing a quick glance at Brock, Ash could see that his cheeks gained a soft tinge of color as he observed this woman.

Ash rolled his eyes, wishing that he could apologize to this woman in advance for what was about to take place.

Mantine came close to the shoreline, to the point where Ash and Brock had no trouble hopping from the rocks they stood on to the marine Pokemon. The woman stepped back to give them the space to get on, and Brock didn't waste a moment to take one of her hands gingerly and caress her palm, dropping to one knee in preparation for his appeal to her.

"Miss, would you do me the honor of having dinner with me this Friday night? I can promise you the finest delicacies from Kalos and some of best music Hoenn has to offer."

Ash raised his brow, mildly impressed with Brock's offer, but a nervous chuckle from the young woman told him that the inevitable was coming.

"I'm...sorry." She began slowly, a modest blush on her cheeks. "I'm seeing someone right now."

In a flash Brock was standing upright, fixing the collar of his shirt professionally with his free hand. He cleared his throat, quickly changing how he held her hand to a cordial handshake.

"Hi my name is Brock, I have a meeting with Charles Goodshow tonight. I'm assuming you'll be taking us to the Hidden Cove." Brock now spoke concisely, here strictly for business now. Ash suppressed his chuckle at Brock's ability to play off getting rejected. His friend was the ' _master_ of rejection,' as Tierno put it.

"Y-Yes, I will be. I'm Melissa by the way." She said with a bit of uncertainty over the two sides of Brock she witnessed. "I'm his assistant."

"It's nice to meet you. This is my friend Ash Ketchum, he's the trainer that will hopefully be accepted by Mr. Goodshow." Brock explained, motioning to Ash, who gave Melissa a wave. She returned the action and then gave a call for Mantine to begin their return trip to the Hidden Cove.

As they arrived at the fabled beach, they saw that none other than Charles Goodshow was waiting for them, his hands in his pockets and his unruly hair tucked into a backward cap. He greeted them warmly once they disembarked from Mantine's back, and took the lead in walking them back to the stadium within the cliff side.

They didn't bother with the formalities as they moved, entering the stadium which, to Ash and Brock's surprise, had a few occupants. Men in uniforms along with a handful of Pokemon assisting them in cleaning the main lobby of the stadium. Impressed that there was a cleaning staff for the stadium, Brock couldn't help but wonder how this stadium had been built in such a place.

"Mr. Goodshow, how did you build this stadium?" Brock inquired as he glanced around at their surroundings. How did they get the materials and such to this secluded location without tipping off the authorities?

Charles merely glanced back at Brock and gave him a wink.

"Knowing the right people can get you anything." He replied enigmatically. After giving his answer, he turned his back to them and continued leading them back to his private chamber within the stadium.

Brock took a questioning glance at Ash, who shrugged his shoulders. Obviously, there were some things that they didn't need to know, secrets concerning the underground circuit that was none of their business.

Arriving at Charles' office, Melissa jumped ahead of them to open the door and welcome them in. The first thing that caught Ash's attention was the various photographs of different Pokemon that hung on the wall. As he looked around the room, his gaze became fixated on the only real Pokemon present.

He saw this Pokemon once before, on a portrait within the Berlitz Estate. Its fur was smooth and golden with a sheen that was to die for. However, despite the elegance of its fur, the most noteworthy feature of his Pokemon was the abundance of tails it possessed. Nine, to be exact.

The Pokemon slept comfortably beside Charles' desk, but upon hearing them enter the office, it opened one eye to inspect the newcomers. Ash felt a sudden chill as the Pokemon rose up, meeting his gaze. It studied Ash intently, tilting its head from one side to the other every so often. Its amber eyes seemed to stare right into this body, peering into the depths of his soul. It was an odd experience, one that left Ash wondering how long he had been holding his breath.

Charles approached the Pokemon and began to ruffle the top of its head affectionately.

"These are our guests tonight Ninetales, be nice." Charles said to the Pokemon, but even as he groomed it, its gaze remained firmly on Ash.

Ash glanced at Melissa and then to Brock, but neither of them seemed to notice the way this 'Ninetales' was staring at him.

With a grateful sigh, Charles took a seat in his office chair behind his desk and leaned forward, looking at Brock expectantly.

"So, let's see what you've brought me." Charles began, extending a hand toward them. Ash retrieved the jump drive and gave it to Charles, who accepted it graciously.

As this exchange took place, Ninetales approached Melissa and nudged her leg. Looking down at the Pokemon, she saw it glance at the closed office door and realized it wanted to step out now that there was so much happening in the room. Opening up the door for Ninetales to exit the room, Ash did his best to hide his relief now that it was gone. He couldn't really describe it, but he was getting a strange vibe from that Pokemon.

Charles was engrossed with his computer screen once he inserted the jump drive into his desktop. With access to the contents within this device, Charles opened the only file contained within that was labeled 'For Mr. Goodshow.'

The video file opened up, starting with the focus being on Brock as he explained the rules of the battle to Ash and Giselle. Charles used this time to quickly change the display from his computer screen to the much large television screen that was mounted on the wall behind his desk. Turning in his chair to enjoy the battle as it began, Ash and Brock discovered that their legs started to shake.

This was actually happening.

Charles Goodshow, the commissioner of the underground circuit, was reviewing footage of how Ash battled.

Charles marveled at Pikachu's speed, a smile growing on his face as he witnessed the early stages of the battle. Naturally, a Pikachu would be faster than most Pokemon, but it was clear that Ash and Pikachu were focusing on developing Pikachu's speed to turn it into their greatest weapon. They were using it perfectly to keep Cubone in check and do as they pleased. Or so he thought.

"Ho ho." Charles said as he shifted in his seat. Not even Charles was able to foresee that Giselle was preparing the field to trap Pikachu in an area where its speed would be neutralized. Charles wouldn't expect anything less from Giselle. She had a knack for making plans and executing them flawlessly.

Expecting the battle to shift in Giselle's favor, Charles was impressed to see Ash and Pikachu maintain the same control they held early in the battle. What Giselle designed to be a trap for Pikachu, now sharpened Pikachu's weapon of speed. Using the uneven surface to search for new angles, Cubone was unable to read Pikachu's movements before it struck.

Charles couldn't help but turn in his seat to steal a glance at the young man behind him. This video matched the expectations Charles set for Ash. He _and_ his Pikachu were a special talent.

The battle was one-sided the rest of the way as Pikachu controlled the tempo with its use of Double Team until Cubone was exhausted. Landing the finishing blow, Ash and Pikachu were declared the winners as Charles leaned back into his seat.

"So..." Charles began, spinning around his chair to face them. "Let's talk about you-" He pointed at Ash who straightened up. "-and your Pikachu for a little bit. How old is it?"

"Pikachu?" Ash muttered, looking up to recall its age. He didn't know Pikachu's age exactly, but according to what his father told him, it was only a year old when Ash first received it. "Pikachu's about thirteen years old now."

Hearing this caused Charles to nod openly.

"And how long have you seriously been training?" Charles pressed.

"About...about a month now." Ash answered with a nod. This caused Charles to take a moment to stroke at his beard, deciding on what he should ask next. There were so many questions he wanted to ask Ash, but he didn't want to delve too deeply into his personal life.

"He's been practicing with Pikachu for years actually, but this past month they've really been working on their fundamentals with Giselle." Brock added, volunteering some information to Charles, who raised his brow.

"I see, so that explains it," Charles noted softly. "I asked for Pikachu's age to determine how long your career might be."

Ash furrowed his brow after Charles admitted what he was thinking about.

"It's clear now that I didn't have anything to worry about because the two of you will be filled with youth for many years." Charles said with a warm smile. Ash could detect that there was something deeper within this statement, as though Charles was reflecting on something. "Far longer than I was at least."

"But you're not _that_ old Mr. Goodshow, what's stopping you from getting back on the battlefield yourself?" Brock asked him, and the gentleman looked down at his desk. Resting next to a picture frame was a well polished Pokeball with a lightning bolt sticker on the top half. A smile crept up onto Charles' face before he gave an answer.

"My partner is no longer with me so...my time as a trainer is over." Charles replied, causing Ash to frown.

"But what about that, um – Ninetales." Ash said, recalling the name that Charles used for the Pokemon that left the room. Charles chuckled softly.

"Ninetales isn't mine. It keeps me company every now and then, which I'm grateful for." Charles explained before he smiled at them. "And it assists me in my new responsibility, which involves bringing up the next generation of Pokemon trainers. You'll be the youngest trainer in the circuit by a sizable margin Ash, but don't expect any of the other trainers to go easy on you."

"Wait..." Ash said, his mouth slightly open as he replayed what Charles said. "Does that mean?"

"You're in." Charles stated with a nod of confirmation. The rather somber mood in the room melted away at the sudden cheers from Ash and Brock.

"We did it!" Ash exclaimed before he was suddenly pulled into a headlock by Brock, who was smiling broadly.

"You freakin' did Ash!" Brock hollered, throwing away whatever professionalism he had to celebrate.

Ash Ketchum was going to be a circuit trainer.

What a turnaround! Almost three weeks ago Ash was knee deep in a personal crisis, and it took all of his friends to stop him from doing something stupid. Now they stood in front of the commissioner of the underground circuit, who had just accepted Ash as his newest circuit trainer! It was _unbelievable_!

Charles and Melissa shared a glance, unable to hide their amusement at how these two young men reacted to the news. While Ash and Brock were busy, Charles invited Melissa to take his place at his desk, allowing her to begin working on a profile for Ash within the PokeHub. As she began to build the page, Charles cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Uh...excuse us." Brock said as he and Ash straightened up, regaining their composure.

"Quite alright. This is a pretty big deal after all." Charles noted, glad that these two didn't have a problem expressing themselves. There was no shortage of unusual personalities in the underground circuit, and Ash would be another fantastic addition to the pot. "I just want to discuss who your sponsor is."

"Oh, that's right I do have one, I met with him yesterday actually," Ash explained. "His name is Malcolm Berlitz."

Charles raised his brow. The surprises with this young man didn't seem to end. Of course, the biggest sponsor of the underground circuit was backing Ash Ketchum.

"Do you need to call him or something to confirm?" Ash asked, but Charles shook his head.

"That won't be needed. Not with Malcolm." Charles stated, which made Ash wonder what sort of connections Malcolm had. His father, and Charles expressed the utmost confidence in this man, but why was that? These questions were laid to rest though as Charles continued to speak. "So, its official, Ash Ketchum, welcome to the underground circuit."

Since they had gotten the urge to celebrate out of their systems earlier, both Ash and Brock approached the older man to shake hands. Each of them wore a smile that was brimming with confidence, and Charles couldn't be more certain that this was going to be an excellent addition to the circuit.

"Uh, don't get too excited yet. There's just one last thing we have to do." Melissa interjected, getting everyone attention. "We need a nickname or an alias for Ash."

Ash and Brock's eyes began to shine at the thought of this.

This name is what all of the other trainers would know him by. This name needed to be cool and awesome, but above all else it had to be unforgettable!

"What should we go with?" Ash asked, looking toward Brock who began to scratch the back of his head.

"How about uh - 'Ripper!'" Brock suggested.

"Ugh, no way, that makes me sound like some weird foreign killer." Ash retorted, wrinkling his face at such a name. "I've got it. 'Champ.'"

Brock deadpanned.

"Really Ash?" Saying it once wouldn't suffice for Brock. "Really?"

"Fine fine, how about, 'Best Yet.'" Ash said with a nod of approval. "No no, how about just, 'Best?'"

"Oh my god, can it get any worse?" Melissa muttered under her breath. Ash was too busy rambling off nicknames, but Brock stifled a laugh in response to her comment.

Ash continued to shoot off ideas for the group, each of them being worse than the last. It made it to a point where they wondered if it was even possible to think of something cornier, but Ash succeeded at it with every attempt.

Brock stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, trying to decide on what would be the perfect name for Ash. Something with a bit of mystery, yet clear enough for his future fan base to fall in love with. A name that wasn't necessarily scary, but still strong enough to remind opponents that this trainer was no joke. That he was becoming stronger every day, one step at a time...on a journey. A trek – no. A...

"I've got it." Brock declared, gladly receiving the attention of Charles and Melissa. He cut Ash off mid-sentence, but Ash was now looking at him earnestly.

"Whatcha got, Brock?" Ash asked him, and Brock's lips curled upward.

"Quest."

Ash blinked.

"Quest?" Ash repeated, needing a moment to ponder over it.

"Yeah, Ash ' _Quest_ ' Ketchum." Brock stated, emphasizing each part.

Brock looked at the occupants of the room, and smiles broke out. No words were needed to describe their approval.

It was perfect.

* * *

 **A/N**

And that locks it all in. Ashy-boy is finally a really-for-real Pokemon trainer! This is the first battle that I'm really invested in, which is kind of weird considering this is chapter _nineteen_. I liked this battle, although I will point out I have a lot in store for the future that I can't wait for you guys to see.

It's fair to say that Ash has made quite a bit of progress since he first got started. It's been more than a month of him constantly going at Giselle, refining both himself and Pikachu. But even with all this, we're going to see soon just what's in store for Ash as he prepares to debut as a circuit trainer.

I want to thank those of you who favorited and say welcome to my new followers. The story only gets more exciting from here as I have a deluge of plans ahead. Don't be afraid to review or PM me, I don't bite lol! I love feedback from any and everyone, even if you're critical.

I want to thank MjrGenMatt for his help with chapter and for his help altogether. It's been a full year since we became partners, and he has been an incredible help. That reminds me, the first anniversary of Caged Wings passed and I missed it completely lol. I can't believe it has been a full year already, and we're now starting to hit the nitty-gritty stuff of this universe.

Special announcement : I'm also working on a little prequel to Caged Wings. This story became so big that there are a lot of subjects that will go untouched for quite some time, so I thought it would be best to explore them from a different angle. Don't worry, this supplementary fic won't be anything huge. I hardly have enough time to work on Caged Wings, so obviously, my goal is to keep this small in scale so that I don't get distracted.

I don't have a timetable on when this prequel will be posted, but just be on the lookout for it. Be on the lookout for it. So until next time everyone!


	20. Heart of Hearts

**Chapter 20**

* * *

 **Tuesday, November 22nd**

Ash jolted in his desk, placing a hand on his side before casting a glare in May's direction. The brunette stuck her tongue out playfully in response to his dark stare. The little jab May had thrown to his side had snapped Ash out of his thoughts, allowing him to notice Dawn's efforts to get his attention.

"Ash?" Dawn asked him yet again, and he finally turned to face her.

"Huh?"

"What's with you today? You're hardly listening to anyone." She noted with a huff, clearly perturbed by his lack of focus. Ash gave a nervous chuckle, scratching at his cheek.

"Eh, sorry Dawn." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "Can't help it."

His mind kept drifting back to the day before. It was hands down, the best day he had in a long time. Not only had he beaten Giselle convincingly, but the battle was recorded for Charles Goodshow, who happily approved Ash's request to join the underground circuit. Ash could hardly believe it; he was actually a circuit trainer now.

Despite all of the positives that anyone could point to about the day before, Ash continued to think about the final part of his discussion with Charles.

-X-X-

 _"It was truly a pleasure meeting you both today. I'm really hoping that we have more meetings like this in the future." Charles said to Ash and Brock as they shook hands once again._

 _"Before we go, Mr. Goodshow, can you tell me how I can have a battle against my father?" Ash asked him, causing the man in question to raise his brow._

 _This thought had crossed his mind during his first conversation with Brock this past weekend. A match between Ketchum's. One was King of the Red Skulls while the other was...well, time would tell what Ash would become. But Charles was certain that this match would draw a considerable amount of attention. Father versus son. The number of promos he could come up with would be endless!_

 _"First, you need to earn the right to challenge him. Typically, when I organize a match for one of the Five Kings, it's against a trainer that's currently ranked among the top fifty." Charles explained. "In your case, there will be special conditions. I have nothing against you Ash, but as commissioner of the circuit, I have many obligations to meet. One of those is making sure that we yield a consistent profit from our sponsors. If I'm going to pitch a match between you and your father, I fully expect this card to be one of the most anticipated battles we've had at the Hidden Cove. Therefore, I want you to be ranked within the top ten trainers of the circuit before you can challenge your father."_

 _"Top ten?!" Brock exclaimed incredulously. Even Melissa showed some surprise at this condition._

 _Every trainer that took part in the underground circuit was considered to be elite. The top fifty trainers were the best of the best. And the top ten were unquestionably some of the best trainers on the face of the earth._

 _While Brock and Melissa were stupefied by this, Ash felt his chest begin to swell. This wasn't some ridiculous expectation, Charles was challenging him._

 _"It's fine Brock," Ash began, his lips curving up into a smile. "When all is said and done, I was going to be number one anyway."_

 _Brock took a moment to observe his friend, quickly recognizing that look in Ash's eyes. Nothing anyone said at this point could cause his confidence to waver. His eyes were dead set on his goal._

-X-X-

Ash jolted in his seat, casting another glare in May's direction. Seeing that she was packing up her bags, Ash furrowed his brow before he took a quick glance at the clock.

"Wait, class is over?" Ash drawled, causing Dawn to roll her eyes with a sigh, and Ash felt a sense of deja vu. He pursed his lips, realizing that he had let a full class period slip by while his head was in the clouds.

Unlike the other groups, their team had yet to design a composition for their piece. Basically, they were almost a full week behind their classmates who had decided on their compositions on day two of this project. With a sigh, Ash knew that he needed to make up for his poor focus during class today.

"Are you guys coming over to my place this afternoon? We can try to brainstorm some more." Dawn suggested, glancing at each of her partners.

"Yeah, I'm always up for a brainstorm session." Ash replied, but May seemed to be disheartened upon hearing Dawn's request.

"I can't today. I have to pick up my little brother from school and take him to his tutors." May replied, wrinkling her nose at this.

"No need to worry, May." Dawn replied before she shot a narrow glance Ash's way. "This will give Ash a chance to redeem himself."

Ash felt his cheeks heat up upon hearing the jab from Dawn. He looked away from them, sticking out his lower lip in an effort to ignore their giggles. As Dawn moved to her desk for second period, May followed her with a sly grin.

"So, it'll be just _you_ and _Ash_. _All alone_." May noted suggestively, causing Dawn to groan.

"Quit it May, we're _just_ going to work on our project." Dawn retorted with a huff.

"All I'm saying is that you haven't done much with him lately. This is a perfect opportunity for you to, _rekindle the flame_." May said, putting on a poor imitation of Fantina's French accent.

"Did you really just say that?" Dawn asked in a deadpan.

May stuck out her tongue and winked before she left to head off to her second period class. Dawn glanced back at Ash who had remained in his seat at the back of the room, twiddling his pencil as he tried to develop a few ideas to throw at Dawn later this afternoon.

It would be just the two of them.

Her father had gone off on another business trip, and no one would disturb them if they went down to Dawn's workshop.

Perhaps May was right, this would be a perfect opportunity to...rekindle the – Dawn's cheeks reddened as she shook her head. This was a chance for she and Ash to talk.

* * *

"We have to decide on something Ash, you can't shoot down every idea we have." Dawn stated as they entered her workshop within the Berlitz Estate.

"Well, I'm not going to paint anything that'll portray a Pokemon as some kind of monster." Ash said indignantly, his arms folded in front of his chest.

Whether he would admit it or not, Ash had become a major roadblock on the journey to them completing this assignment. Based on the time period they had received, Pokemon were viewed in a very negative light, but Ash refused to develop a piece with this as the basis.

On the other hand, he had also failed to come up with a compromise for this. He had given it some thought during the last week but had been unable to develop anything that would fit the era they were attempting to mimic, without further damaging the poor reputation of Pokemon.

Dawn huffed at him, casting a glare in his direction, causing Ash to look away. He had been such a pain to work with during this project! Dawn was well aware of how Ash felt about Pokemon, so she could understand his refusal to follow the theme of the paintings they were studying. But she wished he would bend his philosophy for them, even if it was just a little. They had made little progress and this project would make up a significant portion of their grade for this term. They...no, May couldn't afford to have anything outside of an excellent grade on this assignment. Thanks to Fantina's generosity and patience, May was just barely passing this class despite her poor artistic ability. This project would be a good chance to bump up her grade if Ash wasn't being so stubborn.

"So, what are we going to do then Ash?" Dawn asked as they sat at the table.

"How about we paint a smiley face and call it a day?" He suggested, scratching the back of his neck with a chuckle. The stare he received from Dawn killed his laughter, and he promptly apologized. "I...don't know. I've been stuck trying to figure this out all week."

"Okay then, how about we go back to the history book Ms. Fantina gave us." Dawn pointed out, causing Ash to brighten up. Dawn had claimed the book for the weekend, so Ash hadn't seen it since last Friday. He had forgotten all about with the events that had taken place, and he grew anxious to peer back into this treasure trove of artwork.

Dawn fetched the book from a nearby shelf which caused Ash to narrow his eyes. No wonder he had forgotten about it! She didn't even bring it to school!

"Were you trying to keep it all for yourself?" Ash asked her, causing Dawn to suck in her lips.

"Uh -"

"I knew it!" Ash said as he pointed at her animatedly. "You were keeping it at home hoping I'd forget about it! The book is coming home with me tonight!"

Dawn opened her mouth to protest, but since she had been in possession of it for the last four days, she complied. Perhaps letting Ash have it for some time would inspire him.

Pulling her stool next to Ash, Dawn placed the book in front of them and cracked it open.

"Actually, there's one piece I wanted to talk about with you." Dawn noted as she flipped to a page that she had marked with a sticky note. It was near the center of the book, in the time period just before the Great Crisis.

Ash raised a brow at this painting, a smile forming on his face. It was a picture of a small girl in a sundress, no bigger than Macy, beaming brightly as she placed her straw hat on the head of Bulbasaur. Back then there was no fear of Pokemon, and children played with them freely. But that was a thing of the past. As far as Ash knew, Bulbasaur were some of the most docile and good-natured Pokemon out there, but there wasn't a chance in hell that someone would go within twenty feet of one right now.

"Why can't we go for something like this?" Ash asked her, and Dawn smiled softly.

"I figured you'd say that. But we were assigned the period after the Great Crisis." Dawn reminded him. "So, unfortunately, this is off the table."

Ash frowned, placing his elbow on the table so that he could prop his chin upon his hand. With his remaining hand, he began to turn the pages of the book to the time period they were supposed to be using. The era that Ash had grown to hate.

He could admire the ability of the artists, but he struggled to respect their work as a whole. Those who had painted a Pokemon as the focus of their piece did so with the clear intention of showing them as murderous beasts. Others painted them as insignificant, keeping them in the distance and while the focused on what the Pokemon had done to mankind.

Ash didn't like any of it.

Dawn was wrapped up in her own thoughts as she scanned the page they were looking at. Her eyes went back and forth, reading through the passage that accompanied this painting, providing some information about the artist. He was a man by the name of Vincent who lived in Johto during the Great Crisis. His daughter and wife had been killed during the event, and the tragedy inspired him to create this painting.

The painting was of a man, likely Vincent himself, with his lifeless daughter in his hands. He was looking up to the skies above, his mouth open as he gave a scream of agony. All of his pain and anguish came across in this piece, and dark tone of the piece fit the running theme of all the paintings following the Great Crisis.

Hearing Ash exhale loudly, Dawn stole a quick glance at him and she finally noticed just how close together they were. She had been so focused on the artwork that she hadn't even noticed that she and Ash had gradually moved closer together as they studied each painting. She could feel his breath brush against her cheek. Dawn's cheeks became flush as she studied Ash out of the corner of her eye, taking in his features.

She felt her heartbeat quicken. Ash hadn't noticed her staring at him; he was probably swimming in ideas. Dawn didn't waste this opportunity, her gaze drifting to Ash's lips, and the thought of kissing Ash invaded Dawn's mind. Her cheeks reddened at the idea.

She had been on three dates with Ash so far, yet there was no kiss. She had been thinking about this every now and then since their third date last month, but Ash had a lot to handle during this time, so she kept these thoughts to herself. The thoughts of...moving forward with Ash Ketchum.

Dawn had come to respect and care for Ash in the two months since she had first met him. He was special. Not just because she had a lot of things in common with him, but it was just this feeling she got around him, and it was demonstrated in his qualities and the way he carried himself. He may have goofy moments, but Ash was determined, strong-willed, compassionate, hard-working and considerate. And today she could add 'loyal to his beliefs' to that list. Dawn found everything about him to be very attractive, so attractive that she had unconsciously been leaning in toward him.

With all the grace Dawn could possibly muster, she fell right off her stool, colliding with Ash on her way her down. Her stool rattled after it had hit the floor, while the two of them rested on their backs. Ash had taken the brunt of the fall for Dawn who had landed on top of him.

"Ugh, what happened Dawn?" Ash groaned, waiting for her to get off of him.

"Oh my god, are you okay Ash!?" Dawn exclaimed as she rose up, quickly helping him sit upright. He stopped to rub the back of his head and neck before nodding to her. She sat right beside him, relieved that she hadn't hurt him after knocking him out of his seat.

"I'm fine, Dawn. when I was younger I was a restless sleeper, I rolled off my bed so many times it isn't even funny-"

As Ash spoke, Dawn found herself staring at Ash's lips again. He paid no mind to Dawn's stare, assuming that she had noticed something on his face. In a similar vein of disregard, Dawn tuned out Ash's voice and leaned forward to silence Ash with an unexpected kiss.

Dawn pulled away from Ash, her cheeks scarlet red at the action she had just taken.

She had just kissed Ash Ketchum!

She didn't even bother to get his consent. She just went for it! And it was...well...she was expecting some sort of magic or the fireworks that May was always talking about whenever she described kissing Drew. But what Dawn felt was as if she was floating, and Ash was there. She hardly got a chance to grasp this feeling before she had pulled away from him…

So, she leaned in again.

This time when she placed her lips against his, he tilted his head and pressed forward.

He was kissing her back!

Dawn felt as if she had been uplifted once again, floating through the air. Ash was here with her, taking a hold of one of her hands. This was the magical feeling May must have been talking about, like an out of body experience. And of course, Ash Ketchum was the person to introduce her to such a feeling.

It was such a _rush_! To the point that she tossed her thought process to the wind and let her body act on its own. She closed the distance between herself and Ash, wrapping her arms around his neck to embrace him.

Ash had been the one to show Dawn so much in such a short space of time. It left the bluenette to wonder if this feeling she got when she was around him could be produced with someone else. No...it had to be just Ash. She had never felt like this about anyone else.

Dawn Berlitz was in love with Ash Ketchum.

Ash couldn't believe what was happening.

They were actually kissing!

There was no way he could have foreseen it, but he was enjoying it way too much. He had always sensed some attraction between them, and he had thought about acting on it until...

 _"Your relationship with her will not progress any further than what it presently is. Am I clear?"_

Mr. Berlitz suddenly appeared in Ash's mind, his voice thundering through the serenity he had been enjoying.

Ash's eyes snapped open, and he placed his hands on Dawn's shoulders, separating himself from her. They were both breathing deeply, cheeks flushed and Ash felt a pain in his heart as he looked into Dawn's eyes. She was wondering why they had stopped, and what he was about to say would ruin everything.

"Dawn," Ash breathed out, dropping his head because he couldn't bear to make eye contact with her. "I'm sorry, but we...no, I can't do this."

"W-What?"

"This Dawn, I can't be with you like this, where we kiss and stuff." Ash revealed with a deep sigh.

"But why?" She asked, her voice becoming strained as a lump formed in her throat.

"Th-this shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry." Ash spoke in a whisper to her, lifting his head to meet her gaze. He immediately regretted this choice, seeing a tear already escape her eyes. It broke _his_ heart to break _her_ heart.

This was very different from when he and Serena had ended their romantic relationship. But he had learned from it that this wasn't a time to force a conversation between them. This time could be better used for both parties to think, so that next time they would be able to communicate properly. If they spoke now, everything would be based around the heat of the moment.

"I'll just go, Dawn." Ash said to her as he rose to his feet.

Dawn remained seated on the floor, watching him collect his belongings. It took all her strength to remain composed during these moments. She wasn't really quite sure what she was feeling, such a mess of emotions had overcome her during the last three minutes.

She had thought about how she had developed this attraction to Ash, and finally confirmed what it was she felt for him. Then she acted on these feelings, and to her surprise, Ash returned them. She was on cloud nine as they kissed, discovering something she had never experienced before. This mutual affection didn't last for long, because what Ash did next brought her right back to reality.

He left.

Dawn was all by herself in her workshop.

It wasn't until her mother had come down to check on her did Dawn realize that it was already past six o'clock. She had spent a chunk of her afternoon curled up on her beanbag chair, hugging her knees as she sobbed.

Her mother spared no effort to console her, helping Dawn work through what took place. Johanna was surprised that her daughter had taken the initiative, though she wore a smug little grin as she recalled that she had been the same way with her husband. This little sense of superiority faded as she witnessed how her daughter's heart had been shattered, but Johanna understood what she was going through.

Moments like these were a part of life.

Some people, you would walk with for a lifetime.

Others, would come and go as the season's change.

* * *

Ash felt horrible. He couldn't focus at all, to the point where he decided to hole himself up in his room once he got back home. Shauna had been watching the girls this afternoon, and she let him be when he announced he would be staying in his room for the afternoon.

Pikachu had come up to his room with him for company. Like Shauna, Pikachu didn't press him with questions. Rather, it lounged on his bed, waiting for when he decided to speak.

Ash, however, kept silent for the most part. It was nearing eight o'clock, and he didn't feel like eating dinner or doing anything. His mind continued to drift back to that kiss with Dawn and how his heart fluttered. He loved every second of it. But his _mind_ just had to remind him of his deal with Dawn's father.

His _heart_ knew what it wanted, however, his _mind_ knew what he wanted. The arrangement Ash had with Malcolm Berlitz couldn't be sacrificed for the sake of having a relationship with Dawn. This was his one way into the underground circuit, the one way to get to his father. The one way that he could be a real Pokemon trainer.

It was one of life's hard decisions, and Ash felt awful knowing that he had chosen to pursue his dreams over Dawn. He could only hope that she would find it in her heart to forgive him one day.

Glancing at the art history book he had brought home from Dawn's house, Ash decided to look into it again. He had been leaning against his windowsill, watching the sunset, but now seemed like a good time to try working on something again. Taking a seat on his bed, Ash began to stroke Pikachu's back before he cracked open the book. Rather than flip to a random page like he always had, Ash went to the index at the back of the book.

There he could see a full list of each painting in alphabetical order. The one at the top of the list gained Ash's attention. The painting was titled 'A Longing.'

"Page 144." Ash said to himself, flipping over to that page. This one was near the end of the book, one of the few Ash hadn't seen yet. It had been painted years after the Great Crisis had taken place, and Ash could see that the overall theme of it was somewhat different from the others.

The centerpiece of the painting was an outstretched hand, reaching out toward a hazy being. At first, the only thing he could make out of this shadowy figure was its sharp red eyes that looked up at the hand menacingly. But upon further inspection, Ash began to trace out its other features.

Since gaining access to the PokeHub, Ash had spent a great deal of time looking through their database at the Pokemon they had compiled information on. He had seen images of many, many Pokemon during this time, and the image in this painting bore a small resemblance to a Pokemon he had seen before. The spiky patch of fur that erupted from the top of its head, its small snout, and sizable mane. He had seen this before.

Opening the PokeHub on his phone, Ash quickly scanned through their collection of images before he stumbling into the Pokemon he had been looking for. It was Growlithe. A Pokemon of extreme loyalty, yet in this painting it was portrayed as...

Ash looked back at the painting, furrowing his brow. The way Growlithe had been painted as a frightening shadow with glaring red eyes certainly made it seem dangerous, but Ash felt like the title of the painting didn't fit the artwork. Why was it called 'A Longing?'

Looking toward the short passage regarding this painting, Ash scanned it before reaching a section that caught his attention.

 _Edna Hardt, the creator of this piece, lived out on the Sevii Islands where there was minimal damage from the Great Crisis. Due to public concerns about Pokemon, she was forced to forgo a friendship she had developed with a Pokemon from her youth onward. Unlike most artists of her time, Edna did not develop the same prejudice that others had toward Pokemon. So rather than follow what was becoming the norm at the time, Edna's piece could be compared to a time capsule. In this captivating work, she captured someone's earnest effort to form a bond with Pokemon, but with the radically changing views of Pokemon, an idea such as this would be a thing of the past._

Ash breathed out, staring at this piece with great intrigue. Now he understood the name of this painting. This Edna was amazing. Despite the public opinion at that time, she couldn't deny what her heart longed for. The companion that must have walked alongside her throughout her life. It felt like a safe guess to say that the Pokemon she had grown with was a Growlithe, and Edna must have been counting the days she had gone without that companionship.

Placing a hand on his chest, Ash listened to his heartbeat.

What did he long for?

He knew for certain that his heart longed for a beautiful girl with blue hair. But was it up to his heart to decide this? Or was he right in following his mind?

"Pi?" Pikachu asked him, peering up at its trainer. Hearing its small voice, Ash glanced at back at Pikachu and he knew the answer to his questions.

Perhaps in a physical sense, his heart desired Dawn Berlitz.

But in his heart of hearts, Ash knew what his dream was. A world where Pokemon and people lived together. A world where trust and fellowship was present throughout...where there was no fear.

It hurt him to say it but...

"I couldn't give you up for Dawn." Ash said to Pikachu, placing a hand on its head. Pikachu beamed up him, proud of its trainer's commitment.

* * *

 **Thursday, November 24th**

It was twenty minutes into eighth period, and Ash felt uneasy as he sat in Fantina's classroom. This was the first time he had been in here since Tuesday, so he was uncomfortable for a few reasons. The first reason was the curious glance Fantina gave him upon entering her classroom. Ash knew she had a list of questions for him, most of which likely pertained to him skipping her class for the last two days.

However, the greatest cause for his unrest was caused by the presence of the bluenette, who he hadn't spoken to since their last encounter at her home. She was by herself in the back of the room, swiping away at a mounted canvas with a paintbrush.

Dawn put away her supplies and work in advance, leaving as soon as the bell chimed. Ash looked up at Dawn as she passed his desk, opening his mouth to speak, but her brisk pace killed his voice before it left his throat. With a frown, he looked down at his desk and the blank page of his sketchbook. His focus was all over the place!

He spent the last class period wrestling with different ideas of how to approach Dawn, but Ash couldn't build up the courage to do so. He wasn't sure if Dawn would be open to the idea of talking with him yet, and he couldn't blame her for that.

Fantina kept her distance from Ash and Dawn during the class period. Dawn had been rather withdrawn during the last two days, and that coincided with Ash's absence. Fantina had a hunch that it had something to do with the raven haired young man, and she had an opportunity to confirm her suspicions. Taking a seat beside him at the shared desk, Fantina looked at him expectantly as she interlocked the fingers of her hands.

" _Monsieur, comment allez-vous_?" Fantina inquired, waiting patiently for him to speak. Even though the question was posed in French, she asked this on a daily basis, so he recognized it immediately. Ash frowned, guilt filling his heart. He expected Fantina to berate him for skipping her class, but her kindness knew no bounds.

"I'm…okay." Ash breathed out in response.

"Is anything on your mind?" She continued slowly, giving Ash plenty of time to consider what he wanted to share. His gaze was downcast, refusing to meeting her stare. She paid no mind to this, waiting for him to answer her questions.

"Uh, yeah I do have some stuff on my mind." Ash replied, glancing toward the doorway of the classroom that Dawn had left through. Fantina saw this as a chance to address exactly what she wanted to talk about.

"Does it have to do with," Fantina nodded toward the doorway. "- _mademoiselle_?"

Ash sighed and gave her a nod.

"Did something happen between you?" Fantina asked, though she immediately wished she hadn't. Ash withdrew into his shell, looking back down at his desk.

"No, I don't want to talk about it." Ash stated, and a silence set in.

Fantina took this time to think of how best to push forward with this discussion. Based on their short interaction, Fantina could see that sort of rift had formed between Ash and Dawn. It was unusual, considering how well they got along over the last two months.

"If I might offer you some," She paused to look up, making a face as she searched her vocabulary for the word she wanted. "-advice…you should speak to Dawn."

Ash made eye contact with Fantina, tilting his head at this direction.

"I want to," He admitted. "I'm just not sure how to start."

"Well if you truly cherish your friendship with Dawn, speak to her. It won't matter how you start, so long as you reach an end where the two of you remain friends." Fantina stated, and Ash raised his brow.

She was right.

He couldn't idly sit back and let this rift between he and Dawn grow into something greater. It would cost him a great friendship if he did nothing.

* * *

 **Friday, November 25th**

May frowned, drumming her fingers on her desk as she sat in Fantina's classroom. She had been doing this for several minutes, to the point where her fingertips were becoming numb. Every so often, she would glance at the entrance to the classroom, expecting Ash to burst through the doors. He sent her some text messages this morning promising that he would come to art class today, but half the class period had passed already and Ash was nowhere to be found.

The brunette was anxious, thanks in no small part to the final text she had received from Ash.

'I'm going to talk to Dawn when I get there.'

Dawn had filled May in on what took place Tuesday, so the brunette didn't hesitate to open a floodgate of questions onto Ash via text. But he didn't respond to anything she asked, which about summed up how the last two days had been with anything regarding Ash.

He had hardly spoken to either Dawn or May, ignoring them during the classes they shared and skipping their lunch period altogether. It hurt May deeply to know that the first guy Dawn had seriously pursued had rejected her, after a kiss no less! Glancing at her friend, who was seated beside her as always, May admired how well Dawn was handling it. The bluenette seemed to be fine, even though she was nursing a broken heart.

Considering how much time Ash and Dawn had spent together, it only seemed like a matter of time before the two of them got together. She was left to wonder what was going through Ash's head to make him reject Dawn.

The doorway to the class opened, revealing the person in question.

Ash stepped into the room, his presence being largely ignored by most of his classmates. Fantina met him near the entrance, and the two of them began to speak privately. As they did so, May nudged Dawn with her elbow and nodded up toward Ash. Dawn glanced up at Ash, and turned her gaze right back to her sketchbook as she worked on another concept.

Dawn's lack of a reaction left May slightly unnerved. Dawn had been awfully distant during the past two days, and May suspected that she still might have been in denial. It was as if she didn't want to accept that Ash had a different mindset regarding their relationship. Perhaps he wasn't aiming for something serious.

May couldn't get through to Dawn. Zoey and Nando both said they hit a wall when trying to speak to her, so the only person left was Ash.

With the recent events, May was uncertain of leaving this in Ash's hands, but who else was there?

Once Ash had finished speaking with Fantina, he made his way to the back of the room, where the girls were seated. May watched him closely as he approached, making eye contact with him. They shared a glance before Ash set his sights on Dawn. He stood over her as he took off his backpack, beginning to fish through the contents of the back for his sketchbook. Upon finding his desired item, he opened to his latest sketch and set the book down on top of the paper Dawn had been drawing on.

She didn't take too kindly to this, casting a narrow glance up at Ash.

"What do you want?" She asked him with a deadpan delivery.

Ash pursed his lips, feeling a chill on his shoulder. He knew now that he definitely didn't want to end up on Dawn Berlitz's bad side. At this very moment, Ash saw Dawn's resemblance to her father, and how her temperament could take on different forms, from the sweetheart he kissed two days ago, to the stony-faced girl that was staring him down.

Taking a deep breath, Ash knew that he couldn't falter. He needed to mend their relationship now.

"Can we talk?" Ash asked her firmly.

"About?"

"This drawing." Ash said, pointing down at the artwork he had put on her desk. She had yet to take a proper glance at it.

Dawn looked down at his sketch and exhaled.

If there was one thing Ash never failed at, it was impressing her with his artwork. Most people would say it's only a pencil sketch, but it was simply captivating.

The focus of the sketch was an outstretched hand that was grasping onto an olive branch. The small piece of foliage was being held by Pikachu, who was offering up the item to the viewer.

A peace offering.

"I know I don't deserve anything from you, but please, can we just talk?" Ash asked her again. Dawn looked up at him again, meeting his gaze once more. Her steely expression wavered, unable to find it in her heart to keep up this façade. She, more than anyone else, wanted to talk to Ash about what happened.

"Fine." She said, and Ash motioned for her to follow him. Taking his sketchbook in her hands, Dawn followed Ash to the entrance of the room and raised her brow as Ash gave a nod to their teacher. Fantina met the duo at the entrance of her classroom, providing each of them with a hall pass before allowing them to exit the room.

Out in the corridor, Ash took the lead as he and Dawn walked, taking her to the emergency exit. This took them out to the backside of the building where they would have some privacy to speak. Dawn leaned against the wall, waiting for Ash to begin. He spent a few moments pacing back and forth, searching for how he wanted to address this subject. Then he looked toward her.

"Okay, the first thing I have to do is apologize to you." Ash began. "I'm sorry for…letting things go as far as they did. I shouldn't have let that happen in the first place."

Dawn furrowed her brow, opening her mouth to respond.

"Why though? There was definitely something there between us." She noted.

"I thought I felt something similar Dawn. But I don't think right now is the time I should be dating anyone." Ash answered.

"Why?" She asked again. "You just said you felt the same way that I do. If two people like each other, what should stop them from dating? I mean…is there something wrong with-"

Seeing her place a hand on her chest, Ash cut in immediately.

"Dawn, it has nothing to do with you," Ash stated in an effort to reassure her. His best option was, to be honest. "I've reached a point where I can't commit the amount of time I'd want to give you."

Dawn stood still, her mouth opened partially.

"I'll be straight with you Dawn. I'm getting my shot at being a Pokemon trainer, and that's going to take up all my time. It's why I'm out in the afternoons so often." Ash explained to her. "I don't want to be in a relationship where it feels like I'd be neglecting you. You wouldn't be my first, second…or even third priority Dawn, as much as I hate to say it."

He maintained eye contact with Dawn throughout his explanation, and she finally broke away once he finished speaking. She knew what Ash prioritized in his life.

Pokemon sat firmly at the top, and that was without question.

His family came second.

And his career as a trainer had taken the third slot on this list.

"Look Dawn. I made a mistake with the kiss. I really don't want it to change things between us because…I really like having you as a friend." Ash went on, wringing his hands as he spoke. "I would hate to lose that. So, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me for…letting things go farther than they should have, I would really appreciate it."

Dawn looked back at him, seeing his sullen expression as he wrapped up his request.

"If you can't though, I understand. It's not my place to ask for all this from you. Thank you for listening to me, and I still can't tell you how sorry I am for all this." He had put his hands in his pocket to stop fidgeting with them, setting in his gaze on her as he waited for a reaction.

She needed some time to process everything before she gave him an answer.

He said exactly what she needed to hear. That, at the end of the day, he was going to choose Pokemon over her. That his aspirations came first…and she could sympathize with his thought process.

But one question remained on her mind.

"Did that kiss…mean anything to you?" Dawn piped up suddenly, causing Ash to raise his brow. The words of her father replayed in his mind, his threat forcing Ash to brush aside any memories of their kiss.

"I can't let it mean anything to me Dawn." Ash said after a deep breath.

"I – I understand Ash." She stated with a downward glance and his heart became heavy at the sight of the expression she wore. He had done his best to just be honest with her, but in the end, there was no way to avoid hurting her. All Ash could do was accept this. "I'm not sure if we can be friends. I need time, to figure all this out."

"I get it, Dawn," Ash said with a nod. "I'll be waiting whenever you're ready."

Ash figured that now was the best time to leave her. He said everything that he needed to. It was up to Dawn to figure out if she could forgive him, and he would be fine with either decision she made.

"Don't stress over our project Dawn. To make up for this, I'll handle everything from here." Ash assured her, and he left with that. Dawn watched him re-enter the building, but she remained outside. Dawn gave a deep sigh as she leaned back against the wall and fell to her bottom.

Pulling her knees up to her chest, Dawn swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She wasn't sure if she could take having a friendship with Ash, at least not for the time being. That kiss they shared was special to Dawn, and the end result of it all left her confused.

Why would Ash kiss her back and then claim that he couldn't _afford_ to feel anything?

* * *

A **/N**

Whoa, this chapter had some big-time stuff going down. Did anyone see a kiss coming? I wasn't sure if anyone might have picked up on it since the last chapter had a minor hint concerning the future of Ash and Dawn's relationship. Kudos to you if managed to predict it!

Have to give some love to my beta MjrGenMatt. I'm in the noob spectrum when it comes to romance so I relied upon his insight to put that scene together. Hopefully, you guys in enjoyed it.

I don't want to put out in spoilers regarding the upcoming chapters, but I think the next four or five I believe have the same inspiration which I'll go into when the time is right. So look forward to those.

Many thanks to the new followers and any favorites I received, and I hope you stick around and/or leave a review for me! Would love some feedback from you guys! Ash's journey is just beginning and I have a lot in store for him.

I'll see you all at the next chapter! Stay out of trouble until then! :)


	21. Matter of Conviction

**Chapter 21**

* * *

 **Friday, November 25th**

"Casey, Macy! Are you guys almost ready?" Ash called out from the front door. Macy rushed down the staircase with a small backpack that was likely filled with her coloring book and perhaps a doll or two. Soon after Casey lazily stepped out of the living room with her own backpack and phone in hand. "Are you bringing your homework, Casey?"

She rolled her eyes but gave him a nod.

"Hey, I'm just asking. You're in the same class as Audrey so the two of you can work together." Ash suggested thoughtfully. Cindy was Brock's second sister, who went to school with Casey.

Even though he had interacted with Brock's family on various occasions, Ash still struggled to wrap his head around them being a family of twelve. Having two siblings was hard enough to deal with at times, he couldn't even begin to imagine having _nine_!

"Let's get going, you two," Ash said as he opened up the front door to find a bandana-wearing brunette with her hand extended to knock on their front door. "May?"

Her gaze had been off to the side, so she jumped at the sudden call of her name.

"What are you doing here?" Ash inquired, lips pursed as he did so.

"I'm supposed to watch the girls today, duh." She responded, placing her hands on her hips as she stated this fact. Ash scratched at the back of his neck sheepishly. He assumed after his latest interaction with Dawn that she wouldn't be watching Casey and Macy for him anymore. And, by extension, May would no longer be offering her assistance. "Wait, are you guys going somewhere?"

"Yeah…I wasn't really expecting you to come this afternoon." Ash replied slowly and May tilted her head with a questioning glance.

"I'm best friends with Dawn, Ash, there's no question about that. But she doesn't dictate my life." May stated pointedly. Ash pursed his lips, raising his eyebrows. He felt like he stepped on a landmine for jumping to such a conclusion about May. He should've known better than that.

Rather than put his foot in his mouth, Ash apologized to the brunette, explaining his assumptions. May simply reiterated her stance, and Ash found himself smiling faintly at her. The past few weeks he saw a different side of May. There was much more to her than what met the eye.

"So, were you guys going out?" May inquired as she looked toward the girls. Macy gave her a big nod, causing May to smile brightly at her.

"Yeah. Like I said, I didn't think you and Dawn would be watching them tonight. We're heading over to Brock's place for the afternoon." Ash explained for her.

"Does he live far away? I could give you a ride." May offered with a gesture toward her car.

"Yeah, that would be awesome." Casey interjected, and Ash shot her a narrow glance.

"Casey, its barely a ten a minute walk. May probably has better things to do." Ash pointed out.

"She just said she was here to watch us today." Casey piped up, and Ash opened his mouth to respond before realizing Casey had cornered him. Casey made a face at him for his lack of a rebuttal before continuing. "Besides, it's a free ride."

Rather than drop his stance, Ash looked for a number advantage. His gaze quickly shifted to his youngest sister.

"Macy, you want to walk with me to Brock's house, right?" Ash asked her. To his dismay, she looked to Casey for guidance on the matter. Casey shook her head, and Macy then did the same to Ash.

"Majority wins." Casey stated, and Ash bit down on his lower lip to ward off any thoughts of _how_ he could remove that smug little grin on Casey's face. All this took place with May giggling on the sidelines.

"Come on girls." May said as she stepped down to her car, opening the back door for Macy to climb in. Ash quickly locked the front door and joined Macy in the back of the car, forming a plot to pay Casey back for her sassiness.

Once everyone was settled in the car, Casey began to provide May with the directions to Brock's home as she drove.

"Ouch!" Casey exclaimed after feeling something strike her ear. She turned around to glare at Ash who was seated behind her. "What was that for?"

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked nonchalantly.

"You flicked my ear." She proclaimed, but Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"Did you see me do anything Macy?" Ash asked, glancing at the small girl beside him. Her nose was buried in her coloring book, selecting what pages she would work on at Brock's house. "See, I didn't do anything. Now come on, May needs to know where to turn off."

Casey cast a glare in his direction before turning around, pointing out the intersection May would be turning on. With a wicked grin on his face, Ash leaned forward again flicked her right earlobe, earning a yelp.

"You did it again!" She hollered, whirling around to glare at him. Ash was leaning back in his seat, whistling softly as he looked out the window.

"This again, Casey. You know, May might think you're going crazy if you keep this up." Ash said in a matter-of-fact tone. Casey pursed her lips, her cheeks reddening from frustration.

"Here, Casey?" May asked, receiving her attention.

"Yeah, make a right turn here." Casey replied before her ear was struck again.

She looked back at Ash again, a glint in her eyes. Ash merely avoided eye contact with her, though he couldn't suppress a smirk which caused Casey's look of contempt to evolve into a death glare. She would make Ash suffer for being such an annoyance.

"Right here, May." Ash said, pointing out a parking space up ahead. They went a few blocks north of the street Ash lived on, and the neighborhood opened up, becoming more suburban. Despite the houses being rather close together, each of them still had a fair piece of property compared to the more densely populated area where Ash lived.

Seated on the front steps was Brock, along with one of his younger sisters, Cindy. Spotting Casey as she stepped out of the car, she abandoned Brock to meet up with Casey. Without wasting a moment, the two of them picked up on a conversation they must have been having earlier, speaking without any context that the rest of them could pick up on.

"Come on Macy, let's get going." Ash said as he stepped out of the car. He reached in to pick up Macy and set her down outside where she dashed up the house to greet Brock. Watching her as she did so, Ash caught sight of Casey as she and Cindy went up the front steps, and Casey shot him a chilling glare, a warning to watch his back for the rest of the day. Ash stuck his tongue out, daring her to try anything.

"The two of you really go at it, huh?" May inquired from the front seat, laughing at this prolonged exchange between Ash and Casey.

"I can't let her think she's winning." Ash replied with a huff. May laughed and waved off Ash's thanks for the ride as he moved to speak with her through the passenger window.

"Just so you know Ash, whether or not you and Dawn sort out this stuff between you guys, I'm going to watch your sisters when you need me to." The brunette stated, looking directly at him. "I really enjoy spending time with them, they're the little sisters I always wanted but…instead, I got my annoying brother."

"You wanna trade? I'll take a brother over Casey any day." Ash remarked.

"Only if you throw in Macy."

"Not a chance. That sweetie-pie is _mine_." Ash stated with a warm smile as he looked back at his youngest sister, who was on the porch speaking with Brock. May smiled as well, glad to see Ash in such a great mood despite the events of the day. "You know, you're free to hang out with us today if you want to, May. I'm sure Brock wouldn't mind."

May shook her head and gave him a wink.

"I can always give Drew a call," May replied cheekily. "I'll see you Monday!"

They waved to each other before May took off, leaving Ash to join Brock and Macy on the front steps. Ash and Brock bumped fists before Brock's youngest pair of siblings burst out of the front door shouting for Macy. They were twins, Billy and Tilly, "two hyperactive runts" as Brock put it, that couldn't go a moment without finding some sort of trouble.

"Macy! We made up a game, come try it!" Billy exclaimed as Tilly grabbed Macy by the hand to lead her back into the house. Ash and Brock were left alone outside, and Ash looked into the house with a questioning glance.

"Shouldn't we go inside and keep an eye on them?" Ash suggested, but Brock sighed.

"Forrest and Yolanda are in there." Brock replied, his gaze downcast. Taking note of this, Ash took a seat beside his friend on the steps.

"Something wrong?" Ash asked him.

"Remember I told you there was an opening to become a shift supervisor at the warehouse I work at?" Brock asked him. Brock had been giddy all week, making plans for what he'd do after this promotion. "Well, my dad I got a tip that they would be promoting someone in-house. We thought it was going to be me but…they brought in a guy from Celadon City to take the job."

"Ah shoot, that sucks." Ash said, trying to sympathize with Brock.

"It would've been great if I got the job. It would've meant a lot of extra money for us." Brock said, glancing back at his home. "We could really use it right now, so I really wanted that promotion."

Ash felt his chest tighten, immediately recalling that Brock gave him his savings just a few weeks prior.

"So far nothing has been going my way. Our crew hasn't gotten much traction and my job is going nowhere…I'm stuck man." Brock mumbled, running a hand through his spiky hair.

Remembering how his friend had come to his rescue when he was in a bind, Ash knew that he had to do the same for Brock. He asked himself what he could offer, but all he could offer was a promise.

"Brock," Ash began, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you want to spoil the crap outta your family."

"Heck yeah, I do," Brock interjected emphatically. "My parents bust their asses for us, but they hardly get to rest. I want to make enough money to let them both take a week off at the same time, and you know, be together."

His dad worked full time, and his mom was as close to full-time as she could get while managing ten children. A lot of that involved coordinating with Brock and her husband to ensure that a legitimate form of supervision was present in the house at all times.

"I'm telling you, Brock, as soon as I get a debut match and win it, I'll pay you back everything you've given me,"

"Ash, you don't owe me anything." Brock cut him off, looking straight at him.

"Don't say that. You had my back when I needed help, so I'm going to do the same thing for you the first chance I get." Ash said firmly, giving Brock a hard stare to reinforce his statement. Brock sighed, knowing that he couldn't change Ash's view on this. Ash was as stubborn as they come once he set his mind on something. Rather than press the issue, Brock focused on the new subject Ash presented him.

"How is that going, by the way? Any word on a debut match?" Brock inquired as they relaxed, leaning back on the steps.

"Nothing so far from the commissioner or Mr. Berlitz." Ash replied, trying to keep his spirits up. He wanted a match to be arranged for him immediately after joining the underground circuit, but five days had passed and there was still no word on a debut match.

"That's alright, you just focus on training with Pikachu. And then when you get a debut match, you'll knock it right out of the park." Brock commented, giving Ash a grin.

The front door opened behind them, revealing Brock's mother, Lola. She was dressed in her blue nurse's scrubs, and a large messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hi, Ash! Brock sweetie, I'm going to borrow your car tonight, I got called in early." Lola stated as they made space for her to come down the staircase.

"Yeah, it's got a half tank though." Brock revealed for her.

"I'll fill it up when I'm coming home then." She replied as she went over the driveway where Brock's car was waiting outside the garage.

"Thanks." He said, waving to her along with Ash as she got into his car. After turning on his car, she lowered the window to share one last thing. "By the way, Billy and Tilly found their slingshots. Do me a favor, take them back tonight and find a new spot to hide them in."

And with that, she reversed out of their driveway and took off.

"What time is she going to get home?" Ash asked.

"Probably around midnight. By then everyone is asleep, but my dad might stay and wait for her if he's not too tired." Brock explained, and Ash tucked this information in the back of his head.

"Man, if we start making some real money, what's the first thing you'd do for your family Brock?" Ash asked him, and Brock looked over at him.

"How much money?"

"Like, a couple thousand dollars."

"I'd tell my parents to take a week off, and send them to a hotel over on the east side. That way they could get pampered for a week straight." Brock explained, gaining a nod of respect from Ash.

Ash took a deep breath, restating what Brock had said in his mind. He wanted to remember that during his debut match, to use it as fire to conquer his opponent. He would be battling not just for himself, but for all the people around him.

* * *

 **Sunday, November 27th**

"Time out!" Ash hollered, signaling with his hands to halt the battle between Pikachu and Giselle's Cubone.

He was in the middle of yet another heated training session with Giselle on Route 6 when his phone began to ring. Brock would always notify Ash of who was calling, just to make sure there wasn't any kind of emergency with the girls. This time, however, the person calling immediately took priority over his training.

It was none other than, Malcolm Berlitz.

Ash felt so calm despite the rigorous training he and Pikachu were going through, yet as soon as Malcolm was mentioned, he became nervous. The man essentially held Ash's life in the palm of his hand. If Ash screwed up in any way possible, the man would no longer sponsor him, and his only shot at staying in the circuit would be gone. So of course, he would be nervous, but Ash couldn't let that show.

"Hello?" Ash answered after he received his phone from Brock.

"Ah Ash, do you have a moment to speak?" Malcolm asked, getting straight down to business.

"Yeah-yup. What can I do for you?" Ash asked in return.

"Charles Goodshow contacted me last night with some rather," Malcolm paused and Ash began to hear some shuffling in the background as Malcolm spoke to someone else. "-I'm sorry about that Ash, I'm rather busy at the moment but I had to get in touch with you. I have some unfortunate news."

Ash frowned visibly at this statement. Brock mouthed a question to him, but Ash waved off his concern as Malcolm continued.

"It appears as if Charles is struggling to arrange a debut match for you."

"How come?"

"Your reputation, or lack of it. No one wants to battle a teenager." Malcolm revealed, and Ash clicked his tongue. He knew being young would cause a lot of people to underestimate him, but he didn't think it would be a total roadblock on his path.

"So, what? Do I have to convince them that I'm the real deal?"

"That's exactly what you should do," Malcolm said in agreement. "I'm away on business for the next few weeks, so I can't offer you much help for this."

"Well, do you have any suggestions?" Ash asked hopefully.

It took some time before Malcolm responded to this. Ash could faintly hear other voices in the background, but he couldn't be certain how many people Malcolm was talking to. Finally, he gave Ash an answer, one that caused Ash to wrinkle his nose in dismay.

"I'm sorry Ash, I'm about to meet with a client. All I can tell you is to do something to get your name out there." Malcolm said, and then he immediately hung up. Lowering his phone from his ear, Ash practically jumped when he discovered that Brock was practically on top of him trying to listen to the discussion.

"Is the boss man upset with you?" Brock questioned and Ash made a face at him.

"No." Ash proclaimed.

"Why did he have to call you, then?" Brock pressed. Rather than make a comment about Brock's nosiness, not to mention the invasion of privacy when he tried to listen in on the call, Ash cut to the chase.

"I've got a problem. No one wants to battle me, so I haven't gotten a debut match." Ash explained, and Brock began to stroke his chin in thought.

"To be honest, I'm not surprised." Giselle pointed out. The two guys looked toward her expectantly, waiting for her to elaborate. "I thought battling you would be a waste of my time. I didn't take you seriously at all during our first few battles. But you kept coming back, and there was a steady improvement from one battle to the next…you forced me to say, 'hey, this kid is pretty good.'"

"And you gotta do the same to everyone else." Brock noted.

"That's what I was thinking. But what's going to put everyone on notice?" Ash asked him.

"I figured beating Giselle was a pretty big deal. I mean it got you into Charles' good graces." Brock pointed out and Ash nodded.

"Charles takes a liking to anyone that's good. I've heard that he's seen many trainers battle over the years, and there aren't that many good trainers out there." Giselle went on. "It's one thing to be respected by Charles. It's another to be respected by a fellow trainer, because if there's one thing a lot of trainers in Vermilion City need, it's a big fat piece of humble pie."

Ash and Brock stifled a laugh at this, but Giselle was serious.

"You guys think it's funny, but there are so many trainers in the circuit that have a big head. It's the reason they won't battle you, Ash. They all think you're beneath them, and if by some miracle you beat them, it'll be so humiliating that most of them won't be able to live it down." Giselle explained, a sinister smirk on her face. She loved the thought of Ash knocking a few of those guys down a peg or two. Ash possessed the skill to do just that.

"I get where Giselle is going," Brock stated, and everyone looked toward him. "You have to take on one of the big shots in a street battle and show everyone that you mean business."

"Like who?" Ash asked, and Giselle immediately volunteered some information for them.

"I can think of someone." She said as she opened up the PokeHub on her phone. In no time at all, she found the profile of a notable trainer. He had spiky blue hair, and he held a surfboard in his profile picture. "This is Brawly, better known as the 'Wave Ripper.' I wouldn't say he's arrogant, but he's part of the Lightning Regalia and those guys really need to get knocked off their high horse."

"The Lightning Regalia?" Ash repeated the name, looking to Brock for further explanation.

The Lightning Regalia was one of the four Kingdoms of Vermilion City. Of the four Kingdoms, this one was the second largest, though it paled in comparison to the White Lotus. The King of the Lightning Regalia was a stoic young man, highly respected throughout the Pokemon community for his incredible skill, which placed him as the second strongest trainer in Vermilion City. Similar to their situation in the size of their Kingdom's, the King of the Lightning Regalia was second of course to N, King of the White Lotus.

The White Lotus dominated the Pokemon scene, for the most part, featuring a greater quantity of powerful trainers in the underground circuit than all the other Kingdoms combined. New trainers flocked to the White Lotus aiming to learn from N, and the Lightning Regalia were quick to realize that the White Lotus was becoming the only major power among the Kingdoms. In an effort to draw attention to themselves, they began to push this idea that they were rivals to the White Lotus, proclaiming that the White Lotus would crumble due to its size.

"So, these guys _made up_ a rivalry with the White Lotus, and they act like they're good because of it?" Ash asked for clarification, earning a nod from Brock and Giselle. "Have they even seriously like, battled with the White Lotus?"

Ash had been through such an experience not too long ago. Even the lesser trainers of the White Lotus had pushed him around, but he and Pikachu had grown considerably since then.

"Not as far as I can remember." Brock noted, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"It's just like I was saying, they're all talk." Giselle proclaimed. "They want to be rivals with the White Lotus for the attention, and nothing else."

Ash rolled his eyes.

A one-sided rivalry was no rivalry!

Ash recalled his few encounters with N, realizing that he was no different from the Lightning Regalia. His rivalry with N was one-sided. N was the strongest trainer in Vermilion City and he outclassed Ash in all aspects of being a Pokemon trainer. These facts pushed Ash to work hard every day to improve with Pikachu.

If he was one day going to rival N and face him in battle, Ash needed to prove he deserved the right to call himself N's rival.

"It's settled then, we'll take on Brawly. Right Pikachu?" Ash stated and Pikachu leaped up onto his shoulder. Pikachu gave him a big nod of agreement, wearing an expression to mirror Ash's confidence.

"Well if that's your game plan, then I think we should go all out." Giselle suggested, sharing a glance with Ash and Brock.

"How so?" Brock asked her with a narrow glance.

"On the weekends when he doesn't have a match in the Hidden Cove, Brawly has battles at a private beach on the south side of Vermilion City. He streams every battle he has during that day to the PokeHub. If you pop up during his stream and beat him, trust me, Ash, you'll be one everyone's radar." Giselle explained and Ash punched his palm, anxious to begin training. "Next weekend he'll be streaming, so this is a chance for you to make a name for yourself."

"Alright then, we're going to take down Brawly!"

Witnessing Ash's eagerness, Brock couldn't help but recall the intervention he had with him the night Ash shared that he was thinking about joining the Red Skulls. He was happy to see his friend marching off on his own path now, but there were several nagging thoughts in the back of his mind, all of which would hopefully be addressed by the following week.

* * *

 **Tuesday, November 29th**

Ash had grown accustomed to the routine that he followed over the last few weeks after the intervention with his friends. He went to school during the day, returned home to check on Macy, collect Pikachu, and then Brock would take him up to Route 6 to train with Giselle. It was a very straightforward lifestyle, from point A to B, and from B to C.

Today, however, Brock had stopped somewhere else while they were heading to Route 6. They traveled to another packed neighborhood about twenty minutes from where Ash lived. Brock parked the car right in front of an apartment complex and invited Ash to join him he went in.

"What are we doing here, Brock?" Ash asked him as he got off the car.

"I'll explain on the way, and bring Pikachu." Brock stated. Ash raised his brow, but complied to the request. Once Pikachu was safely tucked away in his backpack, Ash followed Brock into the building.

"So, uh, what are we here for?" Ash asked against as his friend guided him up to the second floor. Brock, however, remained silent until they arrived at their destination. Apartment 2-G.

He knocked on the door, a few moments later it opened up revealing the dark haired designer that worked with Brock's dance crew. Valerie.

"Hi, guys." She said cheerily, inviting them in. Brock stepped in without a thought while Ash stood in the doorway stupefied.

"You live here, Valerie?" Ash exclaimed at her, and she laughed.

"Why else would I be here Ash?" Valerie asked in return, making a gesture for him to come in so that she could close the door. Entering her studio apartment, Ash was impressed with how Valerie organized her small home to make the most of out of it. Most of the main living space had been dedicated to being a design workshop with fabrics and sketches scattered about. Ash joined Brock on the couch, while Valerie brought over a wooden chair.

A silence set in as both Brock and Valerie stared at Ash. Their gaze left him unnerved until he finally opened his mouth to question.

"What's up, guys?" He asked them. He thought Brock came here to handle a matter with Valerie, but so far, it felt as though they had come here to waste time.

"I brought you here for a reason, Ash." Brock began, and he looked toward Valerie who took over the conversation from there.

"I wanted to talk with you, Ash." Valerie stated.

"About what?"

"About…Pokemon." She said tactfully. Ash raised his brow, surprised that Valerie wanted to tackle such a subject.

"Really? You want to talk about Pokemon, with me?" Ash exclaimed as all sorts of questions began to flood his mind. "Are you a trainer? Or uh, are you trying to become one too? What's your favorite-"

"Ash," Valerie said sharply to silence him. She then followed this by smiling at him. "I'm supposed to be asking the questions."

"Oh, right." Ash mumbled out sheepishly, motioning for her to go ahead.

"So…I'd like to know what exactly it is that you want to accomplish with your Pikachu."

Ash's gaze became narrow and more questioning as he observed Valerie. Why did this matter to her?

"What I want to accomplish?" Ash repeated the question as he opened up his backpack to release Pikachu.

The small Pokemon perked upon spotting Valerie and politely greeted her. Valerie tapped her lap as an invitation to Pikachu, and he leapt up to allow her to groom him. During this time, Ash thought long and hard about his answer before he spoke.

"I want to make a change…to the way people think about Pokemon." Ash expressed slowly.

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"The way I see it, I have to _be_ somebody." He stated thoughtfully. "No one is going to listen to some no-name kid with a Pikachu. But if I was the strongest trainer, I'm sure that'll turn some heads in my direction."

"Being a trainer isn't the only way to convince people that Pokemon aren't dangerous." Valerie pointed out. "Sometimes, you have to rely on words rather than actions – but you know what, I didn't want to discuss this with you. What I wanted to know was how sure you are."

"What for?" Ash asked cautiously. Not that he minded Valerie asking him questions, but it seemed rather weird coming from her. He knew enough about her to be comfortable around her, but now as he thought about it, he never really had a chance to get to know Valerie that well.

"I understand that you want to change things Ash, but I feel that you also need to understand that you can't change everything just because you _want_ to." Valerie said, causing Ash to steel his resolve.

"What? Did you call me here to have a reality check?" Ash asked her incredulously. Valerie paid no mind to the change in his demeanor and continued with the discussion.

"To be honest Ash, yes, that is what I want you to have." She said, looking straight at him. "I really respect what you want to do, but I'm not sure if you understand what you're trying to do."

"Valerie, I know it's not as simple as I'm making it sound. I know for a fact that it's going to be hard as heck to change things." Ash related, wringing his hands.

"Are you sure that you're ready to commit your life to Pokemon?" Valerie asked him. He met her gaze, and Valerie could see it in his eyes. Ash had already made a commitment in his heart that he would stick this path, through thick and thin.

"Yeah Valerie, I'm sure about it."

She breathed out a sigh before glancing at the door to her bathroom.

"Spritzee, you can come out now." Valerie announced, causing Ash to stare in the direction she was looking. The bathroom door was partially open, allowing a small creature to peek out. Spritzee was a small bird like Pokemon with pink feathers that immediately gained Pikachu's attention with its appearance.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, jumping down from Valerie's lap to greet this Pokemon. Spritzee became overjoyed at the sight of Pikachu, and the two of them began to converse loudly. Seeing Pikachu interact with Spritzee reminded Ash that Pikachu didn't have much contact with other Pokemon aside from Giselle's Cubone, and by the looks of it, Spritzee might have been in the same boat.

"You have a Pokemon?!" Ash exclaimed at Valerie. She smiled and gave him a nod. Of all the people to be hiding a Pokemon, Valerie was the last person he would've expected!

"We met back when I was sixteen," Valerie explained softly, watching as her partner began to drabble some of her experiences to Pikachu who laughed as the story progressed. Despite these two having a happy conversation, the mood became heavy as Valerie looked down, her bangs casting a shadow over her eyes. "My family wasn't happy about it."

Brock leaned back into the couch, taking a peek at Ash to see his expression. Surprisingly, his friend was still neutral despite the subject at hand.

"Johto isn't like Kanto, where people with Pokemon kind of get away with it. They really crack down on anyone who thinks they can keep a Pokemon." Valerie revealed, and Ash's face hardened.

She began to spin a tale taking them back to her youth in Cherrygrove City, and how she would visit the abundant meadows that surrounded that town under her mother's supervision. At the tender age of nine, Valerie had her first encounter with a Pokemon. It was an injured Furret that was passing through the meadow. Pointing it out to her mother, the actions that followed were the last thing Valerie could have expected.

Her father arrived on the scene within minutes, and without any mercy, he put Furret to death.

"Are you freakin' serious?!" Ash jumped to his feet with this exclamation, a vein on his forehead bulging.

"Johto is nothing like how it is here Ash. I don't know why, personally, but the fear of Pokemon runs deep." Valerie responded, a frown on her face. To this day that memory still haunted her. The panic on Furret's face as her father approached with a small firearm in hand, the desperate please Furret gave out as he tried to get away but, in his condition, he failed to do so. The echo of the gunshot through the open area.

She brought this subject to her mother later on - why do we kill Pokemon?

To keep her safe.

Being so young at the time, Valerie accepted this short answer without any thought. But as she grew into her teens, her mind became more open.

To keep her safe from what?

Were Pokemon _actually_ dangerous?

Valerie began to pursue her own answers, and in her mid-teens, she returned to the meadows around Cherrygrove City. Now that she didn't need any supervision, she ventured further out, reaching the areas that were inhabited solely by Pokemon and she immediately discovered that these creatures were far different from what she had been told growing up.

Untamed? Beasts? Savages?

They were nothing of the sort. To her shock and awe, Valerie was greeted by dozens of them beyond the meadow, being led into their community where she saw firsthand how Pokemon interacted with one another. There was organization, structure, and cooperation. Not just between certain Pokemon, but all of them. Guidance was provided for the young, assistance was given to the older ones. It practically mirrored human society.

Valerie found herself visiting these Pokemon almost daily and as time went on, she forged numerous friendships with them. When she was sixteen, she met a Spritzee and the two of them became fast friends.

"I don't really know how to describe it…but I felt some sort of connection to Spritzee when we first met. Like how people go on about soulmates, I think Spritzee and I were _meant_ to be together." Valerie explained, directing a kind smile at her Pokemon. "We became close. We'd talk, and play, and I'd spend all my time with her outside of school. Spritzee was...my best friend."

Ash understood that expression all too well. With a glance at Pikachu, Ash knew who was his best friend as well.

"So, you can understand Spritzee?" Brock inquired with a wrinkled forehead. It was one of the things he never understood about Ash and Pikachu. The speech coming from Pikachu hardly made sense to Brock, yet Ash could hold a conversation with his partner as though Pikachu was speaking in English.

"It's not so much that I understand what she says, but I understand what she's trying to," Valerie stopped for a moment, thinking about the right word to describe this. "I want to say, convey. What she says, makes sense to me."

Brock shifted his focus to Ash.

"And it's the same for you?" He inquired, and Ash looked up in thought after having only a few moments to digest what Valerie had shared on this subject.

"Uh…kind of. It's like Valerie said, I'm not trying to understand Pikachu word for word. I'm just, feeling what he feels." Ash said with a nod of agreement to Valerie's point.

"I think of it as _a language of love_ , Brock." She added with a thoughtful glance at her Pokemon, her lips curving up into a faint smile. Catching sight her trainer's gaze, Spritzee raised her small wings and vaulted herself to Valerie's lap. "You don't need context or a word for word translation. You just… _know_."

Ash gave a nod of agreement, and Brock raised his brow with intrigue. This conversation with Valerie proved to be more enlightening than he had planned on.

"So, _love_ is how you understand each other?" Brock clarified, motioning to each of them.

"Yeah. I mean, when you love someone, and they love you, you have a really deep connection with them, right?" Valerie asked him, and Brock nodded in reply. "It's the same way. We're connected _through love_."

The sort of admiration Ash developed for Valerie in the span of a few short sentences was…indescribable. Her love for Pokemon, Spritzee especially, was as clear as day.

"That was the reason I thought being around Pokemon was normal. I loved Spritzee, and I thought I could convince my parents to feel the same way." Valerie went on.

That proved to be a disastrous mistake.

She took Spritzee home with her one evening, planning to introduce the small sprite-like creature to her family.

"My parents couldn't believe that I would 'put our household at risk' by bringing a Pokemon into it," Valerie revealed sadly. "Unlike Kanto, in Johto, possession of a Pokemon is _against the law_. My parents wanted no part of what I was doing, so they gave me a choice. I could leave home with Spritzee, or I would have to face the law."

It was clear that Valerie chose the former, and Ash's expression darkened at this.

He could remember the distress on her face as she spoke during his intervention. At the time, he thought that she was trying to discourage him from pursuing Pokemon, and his chest began to ache from an onset of guilt. Valerie didn't deserve any kind of skepticism from him. She had been through much more than he knew.

To think that her parents threw her out at such a young age…

"I had no idea what I was going to do. All I had was what I packed, and Spritzee." Valerie continued solemnly. She was confident that selecting Spritzee was the right choice, but it didn't take long for her to discover the consequences of this choice. None of her friends could help her, so she had nowhere she could stay.

Her only choice was to forgo completing high school and shove off.

She learned that the people in Kanto were more lenient toward Pokemon, and there was some truth in this. With what money she had, Valerie purchased a one-way ticket on the Magnet Train to Saffron City. The first year was unbelievably hard. Many sleepless nights plagued by insomnia and homesickness. But there were positives to draw from. She found a roommate that was willing to split their rent with her, although as part of the agreement to accommodate for Spritzee, Valerie had to pick up the bulk of the payment. She worked full-time as a waitress until she was twenty, and during this time, she studied to receive a general education diploma.

"I was a junior in high school when I had to leave home. It took me four years from that point to get the equivalent of a high school diploma," Valerie stated, and Ash recalled her stance on dropping out of school during his intervention. He understood why she stood so strongly against his plan. "I've never regretted my choice, no matter how hard things became. Spritzee has been my best friend, someone who has been there for me when I didn't have anyone else."

Ash's nostrils flared, but he bit down on his lower lip to keep himself from snapping about Valerie's parents. It really hurt him to discover that her parents had chosen to abandon their daughter for their own "security."

He would find a way to fix this.

"Of course, things got better with time," Valerie said with a small smile as she looked toward their Pokemon. "Having Spritzee kept me from getting too depressed. I didn't give up, and I kept working. And being broke had its silver lining, I got all the financial aid I needed to finish design school, and then I'm sure I'll be fine. I mean, as long as I have Spritzee I know I'll be okay."

"Valerie…" Ash began, receiving her full attention. "You have my word that I'll change all of this one day. It's crap that you got shafted for picking Pokemon, but I'm going to make it so that anyone who makes that choice in the future doesn't have to go through what you went through."

Valerie smiled faintly at him, impressed with his conviction.

Ash Ketchum was going to make a difference.

* * *

 **Friday, December 2nd**

Today was the due date for Fantina's group assignment, and Ash sat sleepy-eyed in his desk within the classroom. Due to the extenuating circumstances, Ash's group received some preferential treatment from Fantina to accommodate for their subject matter and the issues caused by it.

Ash came forward earlier this week and revealed how he negatively impacted their project, stalling the development of a piece because of his stance on Pokemon. Fantina respected Ash for standing by his beliefs, but she couldn't let it slide that he stopped two of his classmates from working properly on this project.

Rather than give the group an extension because the end of the term was approaching, Fantina opted to give Dawn and May partial credit. Ash, however, would be receiving a zero on this assignment which he accepted gratefully. Dawn and May were omitted from the final portion of this assignment of presenting their piece of the class, and Ash was left to do this on his own with the piece he developed by himself.

Between training for his challenge with Brawly and finishing this assignment, Ash was wiped out. Fortunately, he would be the last to present in class today, so that afforded him some time to gather his thoughts.

The sketch he had given to Dawn was the basis for what he painted. It was inspired by the painting he had found by Edna Hardt, though he lightened the mood considerably. He was almost anxious to show it to the class. Shaking his head to focus, Ash looked up at the front of the room where a team of three guys was sharing some of the details concerning their work.

"Despite spending the last three weeks studying pop art, I think it's safe to say three stooges like us won't really understand it." Oliver remarked to conclude their presentation. Some of the class laughed while others clapped for them. Taking down their painting from the easel, Fantina called for the last presentation of the day.

"Monsieur Ketchum." She stated, looking at him. With a sigh Ash rose from his seat, carefully picking up his canvas by the edges and taking it up front with him. Once it was situated on the easel, Ash stepped away allowing the class to look at his work.

The reactions were…lacking, to say the least.

Everyone was impressed with Ash's skill as an artist as always, but having a Pikachu as the focal point of the painting was off-putting for some of his classmates. Seeing Pikachu beam up at them, extending an olive branch as an offering of peace…most of them had no idea what to say. And to top it all off, there was a human hand reaching toward Pikachu to accept the offering.

"The time period I studied was right after the Great Crisis." Ash began, and his peers looked at him curiously. "Many people are unfamiliar with it because the Great Crisis was what historians consider a global catastrophe. The time period following this was filled with artwork of the aftermath of this event. Mourning, tragedy, and suffering were the main themes during that time period."

"I heard from my parents that Pokemon were responsible for the Great Crisis." One of his classmates, Oliver, piped up. Ash exhaled but gave him a nod.

"According to what I researched, that's true." Ash replied.

"So why do you have a Pokemon as the centerpiece then?" He asked rather snidely, and Ash gave him a narrow glance.

"Well, it's been exactly ninety-four years since the Great Crisis. People still fear Pokemon, and I think it's time for that to change." Ash said before motioning to his painting. "A lot of people live under the assumption that all Pokemon are dangerous, when that's as far from the truth as you can get. It's why I went out of my way to show this Pikachu as the happy and peace-loving Pokemon that it is."

This comment wasn't well received. Some of them began to whisper to their desk mates, but one of his classmates, Morgan, raised his hand to pose a question. As part of the presentation, they were expected to answer questions if there were any.

"This is kind of personal, but my grandfather and great-grandfather were killed by a Pokemon during the Great Crisis. What makes you think they're _peace-loving_?" Morgan asked him with a touch of sharpness in his tone. Ash could see he was walking on a minefield with his class. He had to be careful with everything he said from this point forward.

"No one knows what happened during the Great Crisis. According to many historians, people and Pokemon lived together prior to the Great Crisis. That alone proves that there was a time when we had Pokemon around us all the time." Ash stated, but Morgan had more to say.

"If you ask me, Pokemon just decided to show their true colors during the Great Crisis. Those things have no place in our lives." Morgan said vehemently, and to Ash's surprise, a few of his classmates voiced their agreement.

"Uh, hold on. Is this an opinion you came up with yourself, or did your parent's force feed you that?" Ash asked with a straight face. Then he blinked, realizing that he had allowed himself to speak without thinking. Part of him wanted to take back that comment, but another part of him wore a smirk as he saw Morgan's face contort with contempt for him.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Oliver asked Ash, coming to Morgan's defense. "His great grandpa died, you don't need to be an ass about it."

Ash didn't take to kindly to this as things swayed in Morgan's favor, but Fantina came to his rescue.

"Silence _s'il vous plait_!" Fantina interjected to cut off the murmurs among her students. "Monsieur Ketchum has the stage. Allow him to present."

Seeing that her class had become quiet again, Fantina gave Ash a nod as a gesture to continue.

"Um…so during this time after the Great Crisis, there was a lot of unrest concerning Pokemon. Because of this, many artists followed the trend at the time and portrayed them in a negative light." Ash went on.

"Which they deserved." Morgan said, just loud enough for everyone to here. Fantina shot him a glance and he leaned back into his chair, showing his irritation with the subject.

Ash cleared his throat, feeling his throat dry up. He had never made a big deal about speaking in front of people, but under the scorn filled stares of his classmates, Ash became rather nervous.

"Rather than follow the guidelines of the artwork from that era, I chose to illustrate that with the passage of time, opinions can change. It's been almost a century since the Great Crisis; we shouldn't let the past dictate our future." Ash said, hoping that this would resonate with his peers. This only seemed to incite further discussion which Morgan took charge in.

"I wouldn't trust a Pokemon, not if my life depended on it." Morgan declared, ignoring Fantina's gaze as he spoke. "You know why? Because history repeats itself. In the past, our grandparents trusted Pokemon and were killed for it. So, we are making a difference right now if we stay smart, and _stay the hell away_ from Pokemon, Ash!"

"Morgan, that is _enough_ ," Fantina spoke with a ferocity through grit teeth. The manner in which she spoke had never been seen by her students, and it effectively silenced all of them. "I want to speak with you after class."

As if she had given the bell a cue, it chimed and the tension in the room dispersed as the number of students dwindled. Ash slowly took his painting off the easel, and he could hear his peers speaking amongst themselves as they left.

"What kind of crap is he pushing on us?"

"How stupid can you be?"

"It kind of makes sense now. He's really good at art, so he must be crazy."

Ash tightened his hold on his painting, watching as the class emptied out.

Dawn bit down on her lower lip as she moved to her seat for second period. Ash was still up at the front of the class wearing an expression that Dawn had never seen on him before. A face of defeat.

When the rows were clear, Ash journeyed to his desk at the back of the room to collect his bag. May approached his desk and placed a hand on his shoulder to console him. He gave her a grateful nod, but she had to leave to get to her second period class. Rather than stay in the art room like he usually would, Ash made his way toward the exit.

"Monsieur." Fantina stopped him, calling him to her desk to speak with him. She had already spoken to Morgan who was long gone, but Fantina felt the need to speak with Ash as well. "I'm sorry that things went that way, Ash."

He simply shook his head.

"It's okay. I wasn't expecting much to begin with." He admitted, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Don't worry about them. It will all blow over by Monday." Fantina assured him. He gave a small nod before he left. Stepping out of her room, Ash looked down the corridor trying to think of where he should spend his free period. One way would take him back to the main stairway of the school, but the other way would take him to the emergency exit.

He didn't feel like being in school today. Not anymore.

 _"Those things have no place in our lives."_

 _"I wouldn't trust a Pokemon, not if my life depended on it."_

 _"…stay the hell away from Pokemon…"_

Ash slammed the side of his fist into the wall angrily, ignoring the pain that jolted through his arm.

As much as it bothered him to face it firsthand, Ash knew that this was what he would be facing if he wanted to make a difference. One day…he didn't know when, but statements like these would be a thing of the past.

He would make sure of it.

* * *

 **A/N**

So, this chapter was one giant set up for this arc which I think you guys are really going to enjoy. I've been really looking forward to this part because this is where you guys will get a taste for what I have in store for you all. The updates might be a little slow, err, slower than usual because I've been going through some transitions in life. I'm really hoping everything works out, but I'll know for sure in the coming weeks. So, my apologies to you all in advance in the off chance my already poor schedule gets even worse.

 **Update** : Another thing I'll add is that I've been thinking a lot about whether or not to address Pokemon with gender pronouns. Up until this point, I had been referring to them as 'it.' But I felt it was too impersonal considering the subject matter of this story, especially with this chapter. So from this point forward, Pokemon will also be addressed as 'he' and 'she.' I'll be slowly picking through my earlier chapters to make corrections as well, but this little transition is proving to be harder than I thought. If I managed to miss any feel free to point them out to me.

I'll also add that I'm shocked this story is _already_ 200k words! Would you guys believe me if I said we're _still_ just scratching the surface? Lol, I'm just trying to strike up a bit of conversation with you guys. But don't brush aside my comments, Ash's journey is just getting started and we have a lot of ground of cover!

I think this chapter should've given you a glance into some of the future subjects we're going to tackle, and again, I hope you all stick around for this journey. It's going to be long, entertaining and downright crazy at times. Don't say I didn't warn you. ;)

Now I think its confession time. Flashback to my first author's note in chapter one, I said I haven't played Pokemon since Gen 5. Well writing this kind of…' _forced'_ me to go get a Pokemon game, Pokemon X for those wondering, and I ran right through it. I gotta say that the difference between the DSi, and 3DS is absurd. The Pokemon world is so much more imaginative now than in prior generations. Obviously, the hardware is letting them do things they couldn't before, but I really have to give props to Nintendo and Game Freak for stepping it up! I'd put a thumbs up emoji here but I'm not sure I can do that on fanfiction net lol.

So gimme some love guys! Any feedback is welcomed and appreciated!

Wishing everyone the best in whatever you're doing! Be safe, be smart, be sane!

Peace!


	22. Get Shook

**Chapter 22**

* * *

 _They say that your first steps are always the hardest._

 _That saying is true regardless of your age._

 _The first step on his journey proved to be all he could handle._

* * *

 **Saturday, December 3rd**

 _"You also need to understand that you can't change everything just because you want to."_

 _"I really respect what you want to do, but I'm not sure if you understand what you're trying to do."_

 _"Those things have no place in our lives."_

 _"I wouldn't trust a Pokemon, not if my life depended on it."_

 _"…stay the hell away from Pokemon…!"_

Ash bolted upright, throwing his bed sheets off of his upper torso. He sucked in all the air he could, his lungs tight and stressed. Taking a glance around his room, his eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness and he palmed the side of his face. He groaned and ran his hand down the side of his face, wondering when was the last time he had a nightmare. It had been a long time since a dream had affected him like this.

He looked toward his clock and saw that it was barely past five o'clock in the morning. Fortunately, it was Saturday, so the earliest he had to be up by was eight, provided Macy slept that long. Once his breathing stabilized, he laid back down to look up at the ceiling. His door creaked as it was opened, making space for Pikachu to peek into his room. Seeing that Ash was awake, he entered the room and approached his bedside.

"Pika?" He asked him quietly.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine Pikachu. Just a bad dream." Ash assured him as Pikachu climbed onto his bed. Pikachu snuggled up against his torso, demanding more space on Ash's bed. Rolling his eyes, Ash moved over and Pikachu stretched out with a content 'Chaaa.' They remained silent for some time, but Ash continued to shift restlessly on his bed, his thoughts returning to his dream. Sensing Ash's unease, Pikachu made a suggestion to distract him, but Ash groaned in reply.

"I don't feel like going downstairs." Ash mumbled out, causing Pikachu to nudge Ash's side with his forehead. With a glance at his partner, he found Pikachu looking up at him with a pair of large sad eyes, begging him to go downstairs. "Ugh, geez I'll go. Just quit looking at me like that."

"Pika." He snickered as Ash rose up from his bed and shot a half-hearted glare at Pikachu, who had jumped down to the floor.

"But you owe me for this." Ash added as the two of them left the room, making their way down to the kitchen. Once there, Ash retrieved a carton of milk from the fridge and poured a small bowl for Pikachu and a glass for himself. Taking a seat at the table, Ash set the bowl down for Pikachu and invited him to jump up.

Cassidy didn't like Pikachu being up on the table, but he had been taking advantage of her absence in full. As Pikachu began to drink some of the milk Ash had set out, the young man retrieved his phone from the living room to access the PokeHub. Rather than study a new Pokemon, the focus this morning was a last-minute check on their opponent today.

Brawly, the 'Wave Ripper.'

Going into his profile, Ash had no trouble finding recordings of Brawly's matches in the underground circuit, as well as the stored footage from his live streams on his off weekends. Opening his most recent street battle, Ash set his phone down for the two of them to observe the match.

Giselle had directed him to watch as much footage of Brawly has he could during the week. She encouraged him to see how much he could learn about Brawly before this battle to gain any sort of edge that he could. As much as Giselle wanted him to beat Brawly, she also warned Ash that he was no pushover. If Ash could get his hands on any sort of advantage, she was certain that it would prove to be invaluable.

According to Brawly's profile, he had two Pokemon registered for use in circuit matches. While his alias suggested that he would use water type Pokemon, Ash was surprised to see that he was actually a fighting type specialist. While this didn't give him the tremendous type advantage he wanted, Ash knew that Pikachu's speed would still be their best weapon.

Especially against Brawly's signature Pokemon. His Hariyama. He was a slow Pokemon with powerful attacks aimed to pummel opponents into the ground. Pikachu's quickness would be a natural counter to this, and they could just wear down Hariyama with consecutive attacks until his stamina gave out. It was unlikely that they would face his Hariyama today. He was used exclusively for circuit matches at the Hidden Cove.

The opponent they would be facing toward was Brawly's Medicham. She was used primarily for his street battles. Unlike his Hariyama, this Pokemon had a measure of speed and it was master of close-range combat. While Pikachu could hold his own against Giselle's Cubone, Ash knew for a fact that they wanted no part of Medicham up close. If they were going to defeat Medicham, they were going to have to alter their usual strategy. Precision and timing were what they would have to rely on to create openings against this Medicham and land stronger attacks. Charging in recklessly was out of the question.

In the battle they were watching, Brawly's Medicham was facing off with a Nidorino, and it was clear that Nidorino was having a miserable time. Despite Medicham's thin frame, she packed a punch, and her kicks were nothing to take lightly when considering the size of her legs. If Nidorino had the luxury of landing an attack, Medicham paid him back in full.

Brawly's style was very direct. He viewed trading blows as an advantage in his favor due to the immense strength of both his Pokemon. In a drawn-out battle, his Hariyama was built to outlast their opponent. Medicham, on the other hand, had such finely developed hand and foot speed that she could land two or three strikes in return for the one she had taken. With such a style Brawly was what Giselle considered a 'grinder.' It was one of the styles she said Ash might struggle with if he went in unprepared.

Fortunately, Ash had the PokeHub as a resource, providing him with great insight into Brawly's style. Not to mention it would be some time before there was enough footage of Ash for an opponent to pick apart his style. Being unknown had its advantages.

"Pi?" Pikachu raised his ears, glancing at the ceiling at the sound of footsteps. He nudged Ash with his tail, gaining his attention.

"What's up Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner who then pointed at the kitchen clock. It was already seven thirty! More than two hours had flown by while he was studying Brawly. Setting down his phone, Ash went over the pantry to begin preparing breakfast for the girls since he could hear Macy making her way downstairs.

"Good morning Ashy!" She exclaimed as she came into the kitchen, latching onto his leg as a greeting. Ash bent over to snatch her up from the floor, and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Morning Macy, did you sleep well?" Ash asked her as he took her over to the table and set her down on one of the seats. She gave him a large nod in response. "Good, we're having oatmeal for breakfast."

She paid no mind to this piece of information since Pikachu had approached her on the table, lowering its head for her to get a hand on it.

"Morning Pikachu!" Macy said to the Pokemon who jumped onto the back of her seat. Perched on this new position, Pikachu turned and lowered his tail to poke at Macy's head. He snickered as she began to swat at his tail to entertain herself.

In roughly ten minutes Ash set down a steaming bowl of oatmeal in front of Macy along with a few halved Oran Berries. While it cooled, he set up a glass of milk for her with a straw, and he partially refilled Pikachu's bowl. Now that everything was set, Ash returned to the table and told Macy to blow on her oatmeal to cool it off.

As always, she was tentative on the first taste of oatmeal. Cassidy had been trying to get her to eat it plain, but Macy couldn't stand it. She preferred it sweet, so Ash began mixing in some brown sugar to please her. After the first bite Macy became engrossed her breakfast, leaving Ash to return to his battle plan for Brawly. He and Pikachu had been discussing a plan all week that involved baiting out some of the heavy hitting attacks Medicham had in its arsenal.

When using those attacks, such as Hi Jump Kick for example, its movements were telegraphed, which would give Pikachu ample time to react. If they successfully avoided this attack, there would be a brief window for them to land a significant strike to Medicham that would give them the upper hand. It all made sense in theory, and Ash nodded with a smirk. He couldn't wait for this battle.

Hearing a rather strange noise, Ash's gaze became focused again as he looked at Macy. Her half-eaten bowl of oatmeal had been pushed aside, and now she was blowing bubbles into her milk using her straw.

"Macy, stop that." Ash said to her and she giggled in reply. "Are you finished?"

"Mhmm." She said, and Ash rolled his eyes. At least she had eaten all of the fruit he had given her. Taking her bowl, Ash quickly ate what was left. He had come to understand Macy's preference when it came to oatmeal, though he preferred it with fruit over sugar. Once he was finished, Macy suggested they go to the living room to watch cartoons.

"Alright, whatever you say little miss." Ash said as he rose from his seat. Together they went into the living room and the rest of the morning flew by.

* * *

"I'm so sorry Ash!" Shauna exclaimed as she came through the front door, out of breath with her bags hanging loosely from her shoulders. "I fell asleep on the bus and missed your stop so when I finally did get off, I had to sprint six blocks to get here."

"Shauna, it's alright!" Ash piped up to stop her babbling. Her cheeks were flushed red even as she finally took some time to breathe. Shauna gave Ash a grateful nod as he took her bags into the living room. Once she removed her shoes, she followed him in and was surprised to find Brock waiting there with the girls.

"Aww man, I knew I was late." Shauna said as she snapped her fingers. Macy gave a shout of excitement upon seeing the brunette and got up from the floor to approach her.

"I told you it's no big deal Shauna, we're not in a rush or anything." Ash insisted as he glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes to noon, so he and Brock had plenty of time to make it down to the beaches on the southern strip of Vermilion City. Shauna was irritated with herself for being late, but she hid it under a smile as she kneeled down to address Macy.

"What do you say, Brock, you want to head out in ten minutes?" Ash asked his friend.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Ash took a seat on the couch to pass the final minutes before today's adventure began.

"So, Shauna, did you work late or something last night?" Brock inquired. He had been eyeing her since her arrival, and he could see that Shauna looked noticeably tired, which was rare for her.

"No, why do you ask?"

"Well, I was just wondering how you managed to fall asleep on the bus. You're usually so chipper that I thought it was weird." Brock noted as an explanation. As Brock said this, Ash set his gaze on Shauna as well, spotting the details Brock had pointed out.

"Ah, my mom gave me a heads up that my dad was going to call me last night. So, I stayed up waiting for him to call." Shauna explained to them.

"But why did you have to stay up for a call from him?" Casey asked her.

"Oh, well he's a doctor so he works these twelve-hour shifts usually. My mom said he was working late last night so I waited to see if he'd call me during his break." Shauna continued, getting a nod from Casey. "He didn't call, but I get the feeling he'll call at some point this afternoon."

"Is everything alright with you and your dad?" Brock asked as he leaned forward. "He's not giving you a hard time, _still_ is he?"

"Uh…" Shauna pursed her lips before she looked away. "Maybe…"

Brock frowned at her, but he quickly hid this beneath a neutral expression. He felt a measure of guilt since he played a small part in the strained relationship between Shauna and her father.

Shauna was a natural when it came to performing, and Brock didn't hesitate to tell her this when they first met. Little did he know that by introducing her to performing, he unknowingly fueled her desire to pursue this field rather than the medical practice she had been studying prior to this.

Shauna's father wasn't happy in the least with her decision to become a performer, a goal that had yet to pan out. And the man didn't hesitate to tell her how much he disapproved of her choice.

"It's nothing to worry about Brock. He just wants to talk." Shauna replied, waving off his concerns. Ash and Brock shared a glance but decided to take Shauna's word on the matter. She was an adult, after all, and fully capable of handling herself.

Taking another look at the clock, Ash decided that it was best he go wake up Pikachu from his nap and go through their final preparations. Since they had woken up so early, Ash insisted Pikachu make up for some of the sleep he had lost. Ash wanted to be sure that the two of them were in perfect condition. With a grunt, he rose from the sofa and made his way upstairs to prepare for the day.

Moments after Ash had left them, the cringe-worthy ringtone of Shauna's phone blared. She snickered at the looks she received from Casey and Brock, while Macy clapped at the familiar song. The caller was exactly who Shauna had been expecting. Her father.

"That's him, I'll be back." She said, getting up from her seat to head to the kitchen for some privacy. Brock frowned inwardly, glancing at the doorway Shauna had left through. His mind kept drifting to the conversation Shauna was about to have with her father, but he knew it wasn't his place to intrude. In an effort to distract himself, Brock said his goodbyes to the girls and went out to his car to get it running.

After a few minutes, Ash came downstairs with his backpack in tow, Pikachu hidden inside. Seeing that Brock had left already, he said a quick goodbye to Casey and Macy before he put on his shoes to leave. Recalling that he needed to bring a few water bottles, Ash went back into the kitchen and caught Shauna as she was conversing on the phone.

Seeing Ash enter the kitchen, Shauna returned his wave but remained focused on her discussion. Ash quickly dipped into the fridge and snatched out four water bottles that would hopefully last for the afternoon. Tucking two of them into the side pocket of his backpack, Ash glanced back at Shauna to see her wince at something her father said.

"Oh, come on dad, you can't be serious!" She snapped, and while Ash was tempted to listen in, he knew better than that. Snatching up the remaining two bottles, he promptly exited the kitchen and made a note to see if Shauna would want to talk later.

Returning to Brock's car, Ash jumped inside and passed him a water bottle. Once Ash was situated in his seat, Brock revved the engine to get his attention. Glancing up at his friend, Ash saw him wearing a smirk that was contagious.

"Are you ready big shot – I mean, ' _Quest_?'" Brock corrected himself, and Ash tapped his chest twice.

"Let's do this!"

* * *

To see Brawly's live streams was one thing. To be present at one was another.

Just minutes after arriving, Ash was already caught up in the atmosphere that had been established both by the star trainer everyone was here to see, and the audience whose rapt attention he held. It wasn't just a normal street battle where people gathered to watch. This was a spectacle.

There was a DJ, a young man acting as a referee and at least sixty people crowded around the edge of their makeshift field in the sand. The audience bobbed their heads to the beat of the music, giving an occasional cheer for the battle that was underway. This secluded beach was located on the outskirts of the Vermilion City, but Ash still had to admire Brawly's boldness. To come out and host his battles in such a fashion, in broad daylight no less, took some serious guts.

Ash felt his heart thump against his chest as he realized that at some point this afternoon, everyone here would be watching him and Pikachu. This was their moment to shine and garner some attention in the circuit.

On the sandy battleground, he could see Brawly, a blue haired guy with a chiseled frame that he wasn't afraid to show. He was barking out commands to his Medicham as she dueled with a Tangela, batting away the onslaught of vines that were launched at her. Brawly was fierce as he battled, and Medicham emulated this as it battled, storming through Tangela's assault to unleash a barrage of body blows on the grass type. Rather than observe the outcome of the battle, Ash had another matter to attend to first. There was a young man seated on a raised chair that a lifeguard would use, but he was tending to a camera which he had mounted on the arm of the chair to view the battle from an elevated position.

"That's the guy I have to talk to, right?" Ash asked Brock, pointing out the cameraman.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's Brawly's manager, a social media kind of guy. You talk to him and he'll put on the schedule to battle him." Brock said with a nod. Taking a deep breath, Ash took a quick glance at Pikachu on his shoulder and then they approached Brawly's manager together.

"Excuse me?" Ash said, tapping the chair to get his attention. He jumped down fearlessly, treating the eight-foot fall as though it were nothing.

"What can I do for ya kiddo?" He asked.

"My name is Ash Ketchum, I'm here for a battle with Brawly." Ash said, nodding toward the battlefield.

"You? Ain't you a little young to be a trainer?" He asked with a laugh. Ash's face didn't change, but his stare became stony.

"No. A trainer shouldn't be judged by their age. Wait until you've seen me battle before you jump to conclusions." Ash shot back at him, and Pikachu imitated his trainer's expression of stoicism.

"Whoa man, I didn't mean any offense." He said, raising his hands in his defense. "Brawly doesn't take it easy on anyone. I'm just making sure you know what you're getting into."

"Yeah, I do. I'm a circuit trainer, just like him." Ash stated and he couldn't hold back a small smirk from forming on his face. It felt _good_ saying that.

"Oh really? What's your tag?" He inquired curiously, taking out his phone to do some checking himself.

"Tag?" Ash repeated.

"Yeah, you know. The name you use as a circuit trainer." He clarified.

"Ah…they call me, 'Quest.'" Ash revealed, unable to suppress a grin.

Searching through the trainer profiles, he came to Ash's and saw that it was rather bare save for a comment from the commissioner himself, Charles Goodshow.

 _'Look out for this hotshot, I see a bright future ahead of him.'_

Seeing a comment directly from the commissioner had him viewing Ash in a different light already. He extended a hand toward Ash and they shook.

"Name's Jerome." He introduced himself politely. "I'm a big fan of Brawly's and I help him out with his PR business, like organizing these…"

Jerome motioned to their surroundings, and Ash gave a nod of respect.

"So, you're the mastermind behind this." Ash noted, earning grin from Jerome. Ash doubted that Brawly would have the time to organize something like this, at least to this extent, on a bi-weekly basis. Getting a DJ, spreading the word, scheduling these matches. Doing all that on top of maintaining his status as one of the top trainers in Vermilion City would certainly be an impressive feat, but he couldn't fault Brawly for having an assistant, so to speak.

"Alright, here's the deal 'Quest.'" Jerome began as their discussion took on a more serious tone. "We don't have a big venue today and you're the only circuit trainer to come along, so I'm going to push you as the main event for this. There're two more matches before you're up. That'll probably take anywhere between thirty and forty-five minutes so don't wander off. You got all that?"

"Gotcha." Ash said as he and Pikachu gave him a nod.

"Last thing, help me spread the word. Tell people that Brawly is going to take on another circuit trainer as his last opponent today." Jerome added before he began to a demonstration for Ash. He approached then the nearest trio of guys and nudged one of them with his elbow. "Yo, I heard there's another circuit trainer here. Goes by the name 'Quest.' He'll be the last guy to face off with Brawly today."

"Dude, that battle is going to sick." The bystander exclaimed before sharing the news with his friends. And from there the process began as the news jumped from one person to another.

"Hop over to the other side of the field and do the same thing. It'll get everyone all riled up." Jerome said with a smirk. To him, there was nothing cooler than when the anticipation of a great battle set in amongst the audience. There was a certain intensity that filled the air as every single person was focused entirely on the battle.

Ash felt his heart jump into his throat as he realized he was hyping himself up. And a better idea crossed his mind. Scanning the area for Brock, Ash quickly spotted Brock conducting his extravagant, yet predictable, proposal of 'dinner and a movie,' to a young woman. Ash waited until Brock finished speaking to approach, timing it to match the moment that Brock would receive his response. Seeing Brock drop his head in disappointment as the girl left him, Ash joined his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder to console him.

"Hey Brock-o. My match is set." Ash declared to his friend who immediately cheered up with this piece of information. "Brawly's manager wants to build some hype for the match so he wants us to spread the word."

"If you need some hype, I got it." Brock declared as Ash joined him in eyeing the audience. Brock took a moment, scoping out the people that he wanted to start this chain reaction with.

While Brock did this, Ash's eyes became drawn to a person that had taken some distance from the rest of the audience. He was seated up on the large rocks overlooking the field, but rather than observe the battle that was in progress, his attention was on the Pokemon seated beside him. He was carefully stroking its luscious mane, studying the quality of its fur as he did so. Even as this Pokemon was groomed, its gaze remained firmly on Ash.

It wasn't the first time a Ninetales had left him feeling unnerved, but Ash couldn't break eye contact. It was as if Ninetales wore a smirk from commanding Ash's attention, so he rustled his tails which seemed to break the man's focus. He glanced around, now aware of his surroundings, and he searched for what Ninetales was looking at. His sight soon found Ash, and even at a distance, there was a certainty among them that they were making eye contact. This small, common action often done without thought caused Ash's heartbeat to become like a clap of thunder in his ears.

A pair of wings took shape on the man's back, stretching out proudly. They were comparable in size to the wings Ash had seen on N, but unlike N, this man's wings were a golden yellow. Ash couldn't help but admire their color. They were unlike any wings he had seen before!

"B-Brock? Do you know that guy?" Ash asked, pointing out the guy that was resting on the rock with Ninetales. Brock raised his eyebrows upon spotting the man.

"Good eye, Ash, can't believe I missed him. That's Volkner, the 'Golden Flash.' King of the Lightning Regalia." Brock stated, causing Ash to do a double take. _That_ was the King of the Lightning Regalia?! "Man Ash, you're going to have a big name watching you. Go all out for me, alright?"

"Y…Yeah." Ash said as Brock darted off, beginning to spread the word about Brawly's final opponent for the day.

Glancing back at this Volkner once more, Ash could see that he had returned his focus to Ninetales. His wings began to fade away, and Ash took in a shaky breath as he studied Volkner. Why were his wings golden?

* * *

"Pi-ka?"

This question of concern came from Ash's partner as Pikachu glanced up at him. They had gone off to get some solitude from the commotion of Brawly's invitational, and they spent this time going through a last-minute prep for the battle. For all the fuss Ash had made concerning their preparation for this battle, he was the one lacking focus. Shaking his head, Ash ran a hand through his hair with an aggravated sigh.

"I'm sorry Pikachu." He apologized, dropping himself down to his bottom in the sand. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

He was nervous, there was no question about that. Not a panicky, shaking in your boot's kind of nervous. It was healthy, proof that he wanted nothing less than to succeed. But his thoughts, most of which were uninvited, were drowning him. This wasn't to mention the uneasiness he had begun to experience earlier, like lead tied to his feet, causing him to sink further.

"Pikapi? Pika-chu," Pikachu related, climbing onto his lap to console him. Ash could always count on his buddy to offer some support, but this life preserver couldn't reach him in the depths of his mind.

 _"Those things have no place in our lives."_

Ash blinked hard and groaned, his frustration building. His mind kept drifting back to that… _discussion_ , he had yesterday with Morgan during his presentation. Ash had expected Morgan's point of view to fire him up each time he thought about it, but it left him feeling depressed, as if he was a little boy who got bullied by some of the big kids on his way home from school. But why did he feel like this, like he was…afraid?

Afraid of what? Ash scratched the back of his head.

What was he afraid of? Losing this battle? No…that wasn't it. While winning this battle was the goal, it was still a long shot according to Giselle. This was a measuring stick to gauge just how much work Ash and Pikachu would have to do before he could face his father. So, what was it about all this that made him feel scared?

 _"I wouldn't trust a Pokemon, not if my life depended on it."_

Was it the opposition - the people who didn't believe in his dream? Was it a fear that if he failed, it validated their belief that Pokemon were just monsters?

 _"We are making a difference right now if we stay smart, and stay the hell away from Pokemon Ash!"_

With a great frown on his face, Ash looked down at his hands and saw that they possessed a slight tremble. Somewhere, deep down inside of him, there was a part of his that considered the idea that his dream might be wrong.

Wrong to believe in a world where people and Pokemon lived together happily…

 _"I'm not sure if you understand what you're trying to do."_

Did he _really_ know what he was trying to accomplish?

The world he dreamed of…was it just an idea, or something that was actually conceivable?

"Hey Ash!" A voice bellowed, snatching him from his thoughts. Brock came into focus, sprinting toward him. "Your match is going to start, let's head back!"

Ash gulped, trying to swallow his reservations but this did nothing to ease his mind. With no other options, he clapped his cheeks for some self-motivation. Then he gave Brock an insincere smile as a promise that he was ready.

"Come on Pikachu, let's go make this happen." Ash said, but the look he received from Pikachu was filled with skepticism. Pikachu could sense Ash's discomfort, but there was little that could be done with the time they had left.

Returning to the crowd, Ash could see that every single person present had gathered around the battlefield. He could feel the anticipation building as the time remaining steadily decreased. Brawly and his Medicham were among a group of bystanders, answering questions concerning his final match. He was relaxed even though everyone else was expecting this to be the toughest battle.

Jerome approached the DJ, collecting the microphone from his set up so that he could call for everyone's attention.

"Alright-alright, I hope you're ready for the last match we got lined up for today. This is going to be a good one too. As it turns out, we got a brand new circuit trainer here today going by the name 'Quest!'" Jerome declared, introducing Ash who separated himself from the crowd, taking his place on the battlefield. He waved the audience, catching a few stray cheers from some of the people hoping for a good battle. "And of course, we got the top dog here right now, the 'Wave Ripper' Brawly!"

The crowd cheered, and Brawly wore a great smirk as he and Medicham took their place on the battlefield. He raised one arm and motioned for the crowd to raise their voices, eyeing Ash closely as he did so.

Ash glanced around at the audience tentatively, his chest becoming tight. Even though they had received a sizeable space to battle in, it felt as if the presence of the audience was choking him. And the shouts for Brawly to thrash him didn't help. All of them wanted to see Brawly win, even at the expense of what little confidence Ash currently had.

Feeling Ash's shoulder become tense, Pikachu gave it a small squeeze with his front paws, gaining Ash's attention. With a glance at Pikachu out of the corner of his eyes, Ash caught sight of the nod reassurance Pikachu was giving him. He drew in a shaky breath, trying to calm himself to at least have a semblance of some focus. Seeing that Ash had relaxed somewhat, Pikachu then abandoned his shoulder to take its place on the sandy battlefield where he shot a hard stare at Medicham. She shot a narrow gaze back at Pikachu and punched her palm as a warning of what was to come.

"It looks like everyone is ready to go! Trainers, are you ready?" Jerome asked, looking from Brawly to Ash. Both responded a nod to confirm, and he threw up an arm to begin the battle. The DJ let his turntables spin, and a heavy beat began to blast through the speakers around the area. As everyone picked up on the beat, the began to bob their heads in unison, glancing back and forth between the two Pokemon on the field. Even Brawly began to do this, sizing up both Ash and Pikachu. He waited to see if Ash and Pikachu would make the first move, but there was no action on their part.

After hearing that Ash was an eighteen-year-old circuit trainer in search of his debut match, Brawly intended to give him a _warm_ welcome to the underground circuit. A welcome that would show Ash what to expect if he thought he could hop into the big leagues. There would be no mercy.

As he focused on Ash, Brawly could see that he had checked out mentally. There was no confidence or passion in his eyes. With a confident smirk, Brawly realized that this was going to be his easiest battle of the day.

"He's shook!" Brawly declared as the beat dropped. "Medicham, get up close and hit em' with your Force Palm!"

Medicham set her feet and dashed forward, sprinting through the sand with ease as she approached Pikachu. One of her long lanky hands became engulfed in a blue light which she thrust toward Pikachu. Without a command from Ash, Pikachu flickered out of existence just before Medicham could land her attack. The audience gave some ooh's and awe's, impressed with Pikachu's speed, but Brawly eyes were sharper than those watching.

As Pikachu appeared several meters away from Medicham, he saw Pikachu's feet had sunk down into the sand which was clear evidence for something they would take full advantage of. Pikachu didn't know how to run on the sand. With a smirk, Brawly could see that a number of variables had turned in his favor and this battle had barely begun.

"Medicham, Force Palm again!" Brawly called out. His partner turned and raced toward Pikachu again, readying her right hand this time to strike Pikachu. Approaching her target, Medicham lunged forward but only struck the air once again. Pikachu had darted off, astounding the audience with his speed as they struggled to track his fast movement.

"Holy crap, his Pikachu is quick!"

"Look at that him go! It's running circles around them."

The whispers of awe Brawly could agree with, but Pikachu's speed would be his own undoing soon. Pikachu had been trained to run on hard surfaces, but the soft sand of this beach would force Pikachu to slow down as the battle progressed. Medicham continued her pursuit of Pikachu, and gradually Brawly could see that the gap was closing. With each attempt, the window of opportunity grew larger for Medicham to land her Force Palm until finally…

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed after receiving a blow to his side. This sent him tumbling across the field and Medicham was already chasing him down for a follow-up attack.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, his focus returning to him. "Use uh, get on your feet and…"

 _"We are making a difference right now if we stay smart, and stay the hell away from Pokemon Ash!"_

Ash's voice faltered mid command, and he watched Medicham leap into the air and dropped herself onto Pikachu, smashing the smaller Pokemon into the ground. A sizable cloud of dust was kicked up from this, obscuring everyone's view but Brawly was quick to remedy this situation.

"Now throw Pikachu up into the air!" Brawly ordered, and a moment later Pikachu was hurled out of the cloud, high into the air over the battlefield. "And now give him a taste of your Hi Jump Kick!"

Ash's eyes widened as he realized they had already been caught in the combination that they had been paying keen attention to. Pikachu had no aerial mobility, so their options had been reduced to aiming for an even exchange.

"Pikachu get ready for," Ash froze mid-sentence.

 _"I wouldn't trust a Pokemon, not if my life depended on it."_

There was a gasp from some of the bystanders as Pikachu took a vicious knee to his stomach, which knocked the wind out of him. But before Pikachu could be launched away by this blow, Medicham snatched him by his tail and spun the air to throw Pikachu down to the battlefield.

"Now finish it with your Dynamic Punch!" Brawly ordered to his airborne Pokemon. Closing her left hand into a tight fist, it became engulfed in white light as Medicham began to descend toward Pikachu's crash site. Rolling back onto his feet, Pikachu shook his head a few times before hearing the shouts of concern from the audience. With an upward glance, Pikachu caught sight of the destructive force that was plummeting toward him and made a split-second decision. Throwing himself to the side, Pikachu avoided a direct hit, but was punished nonetheless.

There were exclamations of awe from the audience as the ground rose up from the point of impact, sending out a wave of sand which immediately hit Pikachu and propelled him off of the field. For just a moment the crowd was impressed with the after effects of Medicham's Dynamic Punch until they faced it themselves. Almost everyone had been thrown off their feet as the wave rippled outward except for Brawly who had anticipated this.

"Medicham, let's go!" Brawly shouted as he ran off to pursue Pikachu. He and Medicham fearlessly jumped over the bystanders that rested on their side or bottom, racing down to the shore where Pikachu had landed. Ash sat on the field, his head in a daze. It wasn't until he saw a pair of hands snapping at him that he realized Brock was in front of him.

"Ash! I don't know what's up with you, but the battle's still going!" Brock yelled at him, pointing down to the shore. "Get your head on straight, Pikachu needs you right now!"

The audience was following the battle even as it moved, gathering behind Brawly and Medicham on the shore. With its back to the water, Pikachu glanced between Brawly and Medicham, both of which wore a fierce expression.

"It's a shame your trainer's been a no-show for this battle. You're not half bad Pikachu." Brawly noted, giving the Pokemon a nod of respect. His statement sent the crowd into a frenzy because of Ash's absence _throughout_ this battle.

"Yo, where is Pikachu's trainer?"

"Pikachu doesn't even need him man. His trainer hasn't given him any commands."

"Is he really a circuit trainer? That kid ain't done a thing so far."

Ignoring these comments concerning Ash, Pikachu eyed Medicham closely and decided that he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands…paws. Tightening his stance, Pikachu felt his paws gripping the sand properly for the first time, and he couldn't resist smirking at Medicham. The wet sand down by the shore was far sturdier than the sand farther up the beach, and solid ground meant that Pikachu could…

"Whoa!"

There was a collective gasp from the audience as Pikachu ran a circle around Medicham, forming a Double Team that featured five after-images of himself. Brawly recognized this technique and grinned, his admiration for Pikachu growing. This wasn't any ordinary Pokemon, Pikachu was well trained in his fundamentals! While Ash's mental fortitude was questionable based on his performance here, Brawly glanced back at the trainer who had finally arrived at the new battleground and recognized him for the top-class trainer that he was.

"Hey kid, come on!" Brawly roared at Ash, taking a fighting stance. He extended a hand toward Ash, and Medicham mirrored his actions, giving a gesture to attack. "Give us your best shot!"

Ash bit down on his lower lip, watching as Pikachu maintained his Double Team, poised to strike Medicham from almost any direction. They had Brawly exactly where they wanted him, this was a chance they couldn't waste.

 _"Those things have no place in our lives."_

His mouth was dry, and there was a lump in his throat that threatened to silence his voice. But… wasn't the time to be scared of failing. Pikachu was out there pouring his heart out in this battle, and Ash knew without a doubt that Pikachu believed in his dream. Pikachu believed that this was a step on their journey toward a better world. There was no room for his doubts right now. His only choice was to press forward!

With a deep breath, Ash swallowed the lump in his throat and gave his first order of the match.

"Quick Attack!"

Brawly raised his brow as he saw Ash discard his feebleness. But with a sigh, he saw that it had only been replaced by recklessness.

"Medicham, Detect."

The following display was jaw dropping to the crowd as Medicham danced through Pikachu's rapid-fire assault, demonstrating her now _enhanced_ instincts. She had become damn near untouchable despite Pikachu's speed. Ash was left stupefied, his mouth agape. He couldn't believe that an opponent had successfully dodged Pikachu's Quick Attack when combined with Double Team.

That combination was the centerpiece of their battling style because of its utility. It was supposed to create openings for them to attack, yet with just one move, Medicham and Brawly had shut down the whole basis of their style. Was this what all of the top trainers were like?

"That's a nice little trick you've got there, but you'll have to do better than that against us!" Brawly declared as he and Medicham took a new stance together. They were going to attack!

"Pikachu, use Agility!" Ash called out in order to prolong to the battle. But having seen Pikachu do this twice already, Brawly had already developed a countermeasure.

"Medicham, use Low Sweep on the sand!" Brawly declared, stamping one of his feet into the ground. Medicham did the same, slamming her foot down into the sand up to her ankle. She then spun in a clean circle, kicking up another wave of sand to cover every possible direction. Pikachu was caught off guard and swamped beneath it which left him wide open for a finishing blow. "End this with Force Palm!"

Pikachu popped his head out of the mound of sand he had been buried beneath, coughing violently to remove some of the sand that had gotten into his mouth. Unable to react to the following attack, Pikachu received a ferocious blow to his head and the audience cringed at the sight of this attack. Licking his lips, Ash struggled to comprehend just how thoroughly they had been beaten.

"That's it, I'm calling it there!" Jerome declared, crossing his arms above his head. The battle had been one-sided for the most part, lacking the excitement he hoped for. Even if Ash was a circuit trainer, he wasn't close to being Brawly's equal yet. Masking their reservations about Ash, the audience began to cheer for Brawly who led them back up to the DJ station. Despite this, a trio of guys felt the need to express their disappointment in the battle, hanging back to make sure Ash heard their comments.

"Dang man, that kid was trash. That battle wouldn't have lasted half as long if his Pikachu was as bad as he was."

"Pffft, and someone started that rumor that he's a circuit trainer. Heck, I could be a circuit trainer if they let in someone like him."

Ash refused to look their way as he kneeled down beside his unconscious Pikachu, reaching out to beginning dusting the sand out of his fur. Even as he did his best to ignore them, the simply raised their voices.

"Yo kid!" One of them barked, placing his hands around his neck. "Don't _choke_ next time!"

"Choke artist!" Another added as they all mimicked the actions of their friend. The three of them went on their merry way laughing, although one person didn't take to kindly to their comments. As they had gotten some distance from Ash, a hand was placed on one of their shoulders, forcing them to turn around. This guy met with a fist that threw him down to the sand which a shout of surprise, causing his friends to turn in search of their attacker.

Ash grimaced as he recalled seeing Pikachu's head falling back from that final blow it received from Medicham. Despite Pikachu's valiant effort, they didn't even manage to land one attack during the battle and the blame for this rested squarely on Ash's shoulders. It was _pathetic_ how he battled. Those guys were right, Pikachu might have been better off battling without him. Even though Pikachu had acted on his own on several occasions, there were too many moments where he waited for input from Ash that never came.

Taking a handful of sand, Ash hurled it into the air with a shout of frustration. The failure he had been so scared of couldn't compare to the blunder he was now the cause of. He had failed Pikachu, through and through.

That was…unacceptable.

Returning his gaze to his partner, Ash gingerly scooped him up from the sand and walked down to the shore until his feet were in the water. Stooping down, he lowered Pikachu into the water to finish washing the sand off his fur. Once Ash was certain Pikachu was clean, he turned back to the shore and found his other best friend limping toward him with a stupid grin on his face.

"Brock?!" Ash exclaimed, rushing onto the beach to support Brock before he could lose his balance. "What happened?"

"Ah…hah, hah." Brock laughed to conceal his pain. Studying Brock's face, Ash could see there were two bruises that were already turning a shade darker than Brock's natural skin color. "Those guys who thought they could..." He paused, taking in a pained gasp of air. "They thought they could talk trash to you. I-I showed them what for."

"You tried to fight them?" Ash asked incredulously as Brock leaned onto him, giving him a grin.

"I didn't _try_. I _cleaned their clocks_." Brock declared with great pride. Ash looked at his friend skeptically, knowing that Brock wasn't shy about telling someone if he had a problem with them. Ash greatly admired Brock's audacity, though he could see that Brock knew no bounds when it came to taking risks. Fighting three guys at once was something only Brock would do. If Ash had Brock's fearlessness during that battle, he was certain that the outcome would have been very different.

"Come on Brock, let's go home." Ash stated as he got up under Brock, allowing his friend to place an arm around his neck for full support. Brock groaned in response to this slight contact, and Ash could tell that he was in no shape to drive them home. "I'll drive, you can take a nap or something."

"Thanks man." He said softly.

With Pikachu in one arm and Brock in his other, Ash quietly took them back to the top of the beach where they had parked.

He glanced at the audience that had previously been watching him as they partied in front of the DJ station. This was his first taste of the underground circuit. A one-sided thrashing at the hands of one of the best trainers. Reaching the top wasn't going to quite as fast as he previously thought. He still had a long way to go.

* * *

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Brock asked him they approached the front porch of Brock's home.

"Dude, I'm supposed to be asking you that." Ash pointed out with a chuckle as Brock slowly went up the front steps. Whether Brock won that fight or not had gone unsaid, but it was obvious those guys didn't show Brock any mercy. The majority of his bruises were hidden away thanks to his shirt, but the two on his face had become considerably dark, which would earn some attention from his parents.

"You don't have to worry about me. I just need ice and I'll be as good as new by Monday." Brock responded, fishing out his house keys. He opened the front door, gaining a reaction from his family members.

"Brock!" Two small voices sounded before Brock found his two youngest siblings latched onto his legs.

"What's up you guys?" Brock asked them sheepishly as he walked in with them still clinging to him.

"What happened to your face?" Billy inquired after observing Brock's face.

"I uh…fell." Brock said, causing Ash to stifle a laugh. Of course, Billy and Tilly accepted such an answer, telling their brother to be careful, but Ash couldn't wait to hear what Brock would say to the more mature people in his household.

"Brock, we're bored!" Tilly declared.

"Is dad busy?" Brock asked in return as they all entered the kitchen.

"He fell asleep." Tilly said, and the image of Brock's father snoozing on the couch with a magazine over his face seemed all too real. Walking through his home, Brock went down the list of his family, all of which had already given the twins an excuse to avoid playing with them today. With a sigh of defeat, knowing that this responsibility had fallen to him, Brock conceded to the wins.

"Alright, head out to the backyard, and we'll play hide and seek." Brock offered, earning some large smiles from them before they ran off. Once they were out of earshot, Brock gave a grateful sigh and turned to Ash, his eyes begging for his friend to stay. Ash immediately looked away, avoiding eye contact at all costs. "Ash…please don't be like that."

"Like what?" Ash asked, his back now turned to Brock as he began to exit the kitchen. As Ash got out of the room believing that he was scot-free, a pair of hands grabbed his ankles, causing him to turn around in astonishment. Brock was on the floor, desperately trying to keep Ash's legs in his grasp, his face contorting in pain from throwing himself to the floor.

"Please!" Brock begged with a pitiful expression. "They'll kill me in my… _condition_."

"You brought this on yourself. I didn't ask you to fight those guys." Ash said pointedly.

" _Fight_ who?" A new voice asked fiercely, causing their blood to turn cold. Slowly, they turned their heads to find Brock's mother staring at them expectantly, arms crossed and foot tapping. She didn't even care how foolish her son looked as he laid on the floor holding onto Ash's ankles, her motherly instincts had taken charge.

"Uh…" Brock began.

"…uh." Ash finished.

"Well?" Lola motioned for either one of them to speak, her stare morphing into a glare of warning. She wanted answers, or punishment would be handed out.

"Okay, okay." Brock said, slowly getting back onto his feet to address his mother properly. "We went to the beach today and these guys were making fun of Ash. Me, being the great friend that I am, came to Ash's defense."

"That's not how I remember it." Ash noted in a whisper but Brock shushed him.

"It wasn't one of my best decisions, but I wasn't going to let anyone talk about Ash like that." Brock stated firmly, causing Ash to raise his brow. His mother wore a similar expression before she rolled her eyes, motioning for Brock to take off his shirt.

"Come on, let's see the damage," Lola said, and Brock fulfilled her request. She cringed at the sight of his torso and went into the kitchen to put together a make-shift ice pack for him. As she did so, Brock glanced back at Ash and gave him an 'okay' sign with his hand. He was in the clear. "As a nurse you know I don't condone fighting, but…with the beating you got, did you at least win?"

"Well, there was three of them against lil ol' me, but I think it's safe to say that those guys," Brock tapped his chest a few times with a grin. "They're gonna remember _Brock the Rock_."

"Oh my god." Ash muttered, snickering at the title Brock had given himself.

"Hey, I still got something left in the tank if you need a beating too, Ash." Brock noted before covering his mouth. "Oh wait, you already got a beating today."

Ash stared at his friend, dumbfounded at the jab.

"Oh, that's _low_ Brock and you know it." Ash replied, a large grin forming on his face as he punched Brock's shoulder, getting a laugh out of his friend.

"So, um…" Brock cleared his throat. "Mom, do you think you can play with the twins since I'm not in any, _condition_ to?"

"Nice try." She stated, tossing him the bag of ice. "I already heard you agree to play with them. Have a good time."

"Uh-W-Wait mom, have mercy!" Brock called out to her as she left, taking Ash with her to the front door. Ignoring Brock's plea for help, Lola and Ash went out to the front porch, where she smiled warmly at him.

"Thanks for bringing that knucklehead home, Ash." Lola said graciously, but Ash waved off her thanks.

"It's no problem. I'd do that for him anytime." Ash replied easily, and Lola thanked him again.

Lola observed Ash quietly as he shared some of the events from the day, her smile fading as he spoke. She always found it strange how her oldest son had developed his friendship with Ash. There was a seven-year age gap between them, yet they paraded about like brother's when given the chance. They had almost two years according to Brock, and they became such fast friends that Lola was a little surprised. Even the people Brock knew from childhood and went to school with weren't as close to him as Ash was.

Seeing her son have a friend that he enjoyed being around was heartwarming to Lola, but she was far from uninformed. She knew exactly how they had met, and as secretive as Brock was about it, she knew all about his love for Pokemon. Now, whether Brock getting hurt involved Pokemon was the question that concerned her, but she wasn't going to interrogate Ash for an answer. She would probably have more success questioning Brock. But for Ash, she wanted to share her only concern.

"Ash…I want you and my son to stay out of trouble, alright?" Lola said with a stern expression. Ash raised his brow under her inquisitive gaze, feeling as if Lola knew precisely what happened today. Brushing off the unease he felt, Ash gave her a nod of assurance.

"We wouldn't think of it." Ash proclaimed.

Little did he know that even if they weren't looking for trouble, trouble would find them.

* * *

Ash sat alone, the cool and crisp air of the night brushing against his skin. The park was dimly lit by the few lights, but the moonlight would suffice. Pikachu rested on his lap as he stroked its back, sound asleep after the battle with Medicham. It had yet to wake up from the thrashing, although Ash had already given Pikachu a full Potion treatment to ensure he recovered properly.

His most recent loss still stung in his heart, as it should. It was thanks to his underwhelming performance that the battle was so one-sided, and Pikachu had been the one to suffer the most because of it. He owed his partner for putting up such a great fight without him, but…for the first time in ages, Ash wasn't sure how to express himself to Pikachu.

It was kind of surreal that he was struggling to think of what he would say to Pikachu once he woke up. He never needed to think before speaking to his partner. The words always came naturally and with ease. But now Ash was racking his brains, trying to figure out what was the first thing he should say to his companion. Was it an apology? Or an explanation of everything he did wrong? Ash knew for certain that he was at fault, but did Pikachu need to hear that? Or would Pikachu prefer to know how Ash intends to fix what happened today?

In fact, how would he fix that?

"What did I do wrong?" Ash asked aloud, and an unexpected answer caused him to jump in surprise.

"You should've focused on the battle."

Ash hadn't been expecting an answer from anyone else. It was late, somewhere around eleven o'clock at night, so he had assumed that the park was completely empty. Lo and behold, there was one another person here, the last person Ash expected to see. Even in the darkness his striking blonde hair still stood out, and Ninetales' fur glistened under the moonlight.

Volkner, King of the Lightning Regalia. 'The Golden Flash.'

"Huh?" Was all Ash managed to say as the man approached him. Volkner looked down at the bench, and without a word, he slid into the seat next to Ash and stared intently at Pikachu.

"Your head was somewhere else." Volkner noted, shifting his gaze to Ash. "When you battle, you can't do that."

Ash felt unnerved as Volkner observed him, almost as if he was dissecting Ash with his eyes. Adjusting himself on the bench, Ash lowered his eyes to look at his partner. He couldn't deny the truth in what Volkner had said. His mind had been all over the place prior to, during, and even after the battle. It was safe to say that his focus wasn't on the battle at all.

"There are all kinds of trainers out there. But the ones that can't give a battle their all…" Volkner shook his head, his lips pursed in an expression of disapproval. "They don't deserve to be trainers."

Ash opened his mouth to protest, but thankfully his voice failed him. As much as he wanted to defend himself, Volkner was right. That was a total lack of respect, not only for his opponents in Brawly and Medicham but also for his own Pokemon. He wasn't there for Pikachu when he was counting on him.

An apology. That was the first thing he owed Pikachu. Anything else could wait.

Ash took a glance at the man beside him, ready to thank him for the advice he offered. Ash had been expecting to meet Volkner's gaze again, but the electric blonde was absorbed in grooming Ninetales who sat beside the bench, and he purred softly in response to the attention.

"You're not going to give up, are ya?" Volkner inquired, gaining a look of surprise from Ash.

Give up? That wasn't in his vocabulary!

"Heck no." He replied sharply, and Volkner let out a small snort, a hint of a smile forming on his face.

"I'm glad. I'll be waiting then, Ash." Volkner stated as he rose up from the bench. Ash furrowed his brow with intrigue before he piped up with an obvious question.

"Waiting? For what…a battle?" Ash asked him. Volkner moved at a slow pace with Ninetales beside him, but he turned back to face Ash.

"For the day you spread those wings. I'm looking forward to it." Volkner replied, giving him a crooked grin. Then, as he turned away from Ash for the final time tonight; his golden wings took shape and opened for Ash to admire their splendor.

Ash sat on the bench, baffled from the sight of Volkner's wings. They were simply magnificent, adding to the air of majesty that surrounded Volkner.

It was very fitting for a so-called King.

* * *

Stepping into his home, Ash was greeted by a sight he wasn't expecting, although in hindsight it might have been something he could have foreseen if he had a better day. Upon entering the door, the first thing he noticed was the soft music playing the background, an old blues song from maybe forty years ago. It was coming from the living room, and as he drew close to this room he caught the faint scent of alcohol.

Peering into the living room, he found Shauna curled up on the sofa hugging her knees. A pair of dark bottles were resting beside the chair, at least one of them being empty since it rested on its side. He could hear Shauna sniffling, though she had yet to notice his presence. Recalling how he had left her earlier, Ash could freely assume that conversation with her father must not have gone well.

Quietly heading upstairs, Ash dropped Pikachu off in his room to let him rest before he returned downstairs to check on Shauna. He found her reaching for the next bottle in a six-pack she had in front of the sofa. Kneeling down beside her, Ash saw that she wasn't in the best shape at the moment. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her hair was left unraveled, tumbling down to her shoulders and poking out in all directions.

Catching sight of Ash, Shauna inhaled sharply and leaned back into the sofa, frowning deeply at him. It seemed as though it took her a moment to recognize him because she let out a hiccup.

"Shauna, are you okay?" Ash asked, deciding to be direct with her. He had heard quite a few stories from Miette and Serena concerning Shauna whenever she drank alcohol. She wasn't very…becoming once she was _drunk_. And unfortunately, it didn't take much for her to reach that state.

Ash couldn't make out her response as she put down the third bottle. She shook her head and ran a hand through her messy hair, groaning in frustration. Ash sat down next to her, providing her with some time to straighten out her jumbled thoughts, but with time, something coherent finally came out.

"I'm the biggest _freakin' screw up_ you'll ever meet." She muttered vehemently, pulling her legs close again. Hearing her speak properly, Ash began to watch her with interest as she set her chin down on her knee. "I can't do anything right."

"That's not true, Shauna." Ash said softly, offering her some solace. She didn't seem to care for his comment, her thoughts swirling around the newfound disdain for her immediate family.

"I'm not like my parents. I wasn't going to last in med school for six to eight years. I knew in my heart that I wasn't going to be a doctor, but I wanted to make my folks proud of," Another hiccup stopped her monologue and tears had welled up in her eyes. "I wish I had just been upfront with them, maybe this wouldn't have happened…"

"What happened?" Ash asked her, urgency in his tone.

"My dad. He's cutting me off." She revealed, leaving her mouth to hang open for moment as she recalled what this meant for her. Shauna had all afternoon to consider what would happen now that she had no support from her parents. Her train wreck of a life was about to turn into a _flaming dumpster fire._

"Does this have to do with you dropping out, still?"

She gave him a small nod. The issue was over a year old. Shauna had made the decision to leave medical school against her parents' wishes to pursue a dream of being a performer. The brunette had been unhappy chasing the goal her parents had set for her, and when she finally valued her happiness above pleasing her parents, Shauna set out on a journey of her own.

"What a _stupid_ decision that was," Shauna noted with great disdain. "If I had stayed in school, I'd have everything right now. Not all this freakin' debt and I wouldn't have had to put up with my dad's crap either."

"But…would you be happy living like that?" Ash asked her delicately. Shauna buried her face in her palms, groaning audibly.

"No, I wouldn't be happy. I'd be depressed as hell and drinking all the damn time…oh wait, I already do that." She mused, resisting the urge to take the third bottle. "At least I'd have a future, though. I wouldn't have to wonder what the hell I'm going to do each day. You get what I'm feeling, right Ash?"

He understood her sentiments all too well. The last month had been a testament to that. It was scary.

"Yeah, I hear ya." Ash said with a small nod of agreement.

"Why does all this crap have to be so _hard_?" She asked aloud, throwing her hands up as she laid sprawled out on the couch. "It feels like no matter what I do, I go nowhere. And, of course, since I have nothing to show for the last year, my dad thinks I've just been sitting around wasting time. He has no idea how much I bust my ass between work _and_ practice!"

Ash remained silent, realizing that Shauna had probably spent the day waiting for someone she could vent to.

"I did my best all through high school, and I went to med school for three years. God, I wish I could have that time back. I would've done ballet, or gymnastics or something that I actually liked instead of meeting with tutors all the time just to keep up with my dad's expectations." She related emphatically. "This is just so… _ugh! Infuriating!"_

Feeling her anger swell within her, Shauna eyed the bottle once again and snatched it up. Using her tank top to turn the cap of the bottle, Ash could hear the sizzle within it before Shauna took three large gulps. With her current posture on the couch, she began to kick her feet absentmindedly as she praised the drink she held. Ash gave a snort at her appearance, but Shauna wasn't self-conscious about this at the moment. Hearing this small sound, Shauna glanced up at Ash and noticed that he didn't seem to be in the best of moods either.

"How about you? You look kinda blue." She noted, rolling over onto her stomach to look at him. "Did something happen today?"

"Uh…I guess you could say I screwed up today too." Ash admitted, realizing that his day wasn't much better than Shauna's.

"What did you mess up?" Shauna inquired curiously, showing a surprising amount of concern for Ash. By now Shauna would usually be lost in her own little world if she drank alcohol, but she seemed to be doing just fine for a change.

"Probably my one chance to be a real Pokemon trainer." Ash revealed, and Shauna looked at him incredulously.

"How'd you pull that off?"

"I was trying to impress people, you know, get my name out there. I choked…like really bad, Pikachu took a beating," Shauna gasped at this information. "And Brock picked a fight with these guys trying to defend me and he got beat up too. Like, I just ruined things for everyone today."

It wasn't just that.

A certain bluenette came to mind. Someone who probably wouldn't be speaking to him anymore.

He had told her directly that his life was committed to Pokemon, and tossed aside what could've been an amazing relationship with her for…a beatdown on Brawly's live stream and a new reputation as a 'choke artist.'

"And then there was Dawn." Ash continued, shaking his head. "It was the same thing with Serena all over again."

"So, you broke it off with her?" Shauna asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I mean, there was nothing serious there to begin with," Ash said as he placed a hand on his stomach. "But I just feel awful knowing that I hurt someone else chasing this dream I have. It feels like I'm constantly stepping on everyone's toes."

Ash blinked, the statement holding more truth that he had ever cared to notice.

"Yeah, it's…no, _I'm_ just one big inconvenience." He concluded, lowering his head with an expression of defeat.

Instead of watching his sisters as he should be in Cassidy's absence, his friends had taken over that responsibility for him while he spent all of his free time practicing with Brock and Pikachu. Rather than care for his family, he was still out there chasing a dream that was taking him nowhere.

With all the tact she could find in her semi-drunken state, Shauna snorted at Ash in response to his realization.

"Hey, welcome to the club." She said before extending the bottle she held toward him. "You want something to take your mind off it?"

Ash met her gaze upon hearing her suggestion, and seeing how she had relaxed somewhat after a drink he had to admit…

That didn't sound like a bad idea.

* * *

 **A/N**

Hello all, its been a while hasn't it? I don't know what it is about the holiday's that make me depressed, but it's been a drag the last few weeks, and winter is really setting in now. I can't wait for things to start to warm up, but knowing my luck winter will drag on until April like this past year. I'm indoors a lot these days so hopefully, I'll start to produce chapters a little faster, or at least consistently hit the once a month plan that I've been trying to keep up with.

I've got to say that this is one of my favorite chapters to date, right up there with chapter five, twelve and nineteen. I'll also add that I think this is my best battle, not that I have some sort of extensive track record, but this one that well thought out as to what I wanted to accomplish. Obviously, the outcome wasn't the best in Ash's case, but I think you'll really understand the significance of this battle by the time this arc is over.

 **Notable Characters**

 **Volkner.** One of the Five Kings of Vermilion City. I glad that I'm finally getting to introduce another King, although I've enjoyed having them shrouded in mystery. I don't want to spoil any of the plans I have for Volkner, but you'll definitely see more of him in the future.

Big shout out to MjGenMatt for his high-quality work as always. And I wanted to thank Kreuzspinne for their wonderful review. It gave me such a huge boost of confidence that I really needed at the time, and I can't thank you enough!

We're heading into 2019 now, so the best of luck to all of you out there. I'll see you there at some point!


	23. Foundation

**Chapter 23**

* * *

 **Sunday, December 4th**

Ash groggily rose up from the couch, having felt something suddenly jump off him. He heard heavy footsteps rushing off to the bathroom on the first floor, and the door was slammed shut. He raised a hand to his eyes, rubbing at them to clear his vision.

He remembered returning to his home at almost midnight, and he found Shauna drinking by herself. Shauna and alcohol were never a good combination, but she was surprisingly sober as they spoke. It was a short discussion, about how crappy their days were, and Shauna's attention returned to her drinks. Then she offered Ash one and his night became hazy from there.

Straightening up on the couch, Ash groaned and shook his head. Shauna gave a loud shout of displeasure followed closely her retching. Ash wrinkled his nose, and with a sigh, he rose up from the couch and tentatively went out to check on Shauna.

"Shauna, are you okay?" Ash asked with a knock on the door. She groaned exasperatedly and the door opened up a few moments later. She peeked out and her expression could scare off a Ghastly.

"Do you have any aspirin?" She muttered out to him, and Ash pointed to the cabinet mounted above the sink.

"It's on the top shelf. I'll get you a glass." Ash stated.

"Tha-" Before she could express her thanks her cheeks swelled and she slammed the door. Ash grimaced as she rushed back to the toilet and heaved loudly. Retrieving her glass, Ash decided to fill it as well to save her the trouble. Once he heard the toilet flush, he entered the bathroom and set down the glass on the counter. He stole a peek at Shauna and felt awful seeing her prop herself up on the toilet seat, one hand on her head as she groaned softly.

Slipping back out, Ash went to the living room to retrieve his phone. Shauna's hangover sounded far from bearable, so he opened up the internet on his phone to search for some home remedies for hangovers. Scanning through the list of cures, Ash quickly spotted a suggestion to avoid painkillers and other blood thinners.

"Shauna!" He called out, heading back to the bathroom. It was a few moments before the door opened and the brunette glared at him.

"Keep it down." She hissed at him uncharacteristically.

"Oh, sorry." He apologized, having forgotten that she was suffering from a terrible headache as well. "I just read that you shouldn't take painkillers though, did you take the aspirin already?"

"I didn't…" She mumbled out. "But I need it."

"Shauna, you're not doing yourself any favors taking painkillers. I'll fix up something for you." Ash stated to assure her that they would address this issue. The skepticism in Shauna's gaze wavered, and with pursed lips, she agreed. "But just to make sure you're not tempted…"

She opened the door a bit more for him to step in, and to her dismay, he opened the medicine cabinet to collect the painkillers that were stored away within it. On his way out, he stuck out his tongue at her, so she scrunched up her face in response.

"You suck, Ash." She muttered to him.

"That's okay. Now take a shower, it'll help you relax a bit." Ash suggested, and she agreed without any thought. Anything to take her mind off of this headache would be appreciated. As he went upstairs to get a change of clothes for her, Ash could hear her start up the shower, screeching as the hot water came through.

Arriving at his room, Ash entered quietly so as not to disturb Pikachu who had received his bed for the night. Pikachu was still curled up in the same position he had left it in, and he sighed at the sight of it. The last time Pikachu received a beating like this was the first time they fought Giselle's Cubone. It was a one-sided battle for the most part, but it was nothing like what took place yesterday. All the damage Pikachu had received battling Medicham was because of him. He had provided Pikachu with one clear command, and even that had proved to be useless. He failed his partner yesterday…and he wouldn't let that happen again.

 _"Dang man, that kid was trash. That battle wouldn't have lasted half as long if his Pikachu was as bad as he was."_

Strengthening his resolve, Ash knew that the focus of his training was himself. Those guys yesterday had a valid point. Pikachu had held its own without him. He and Pikachu were no longer equals as trainer and Pokemon. Pikachu had progressed far beyond him. Now it was up to him to close that gap.

He had to better himself, sharpen his mind and keep it clear of distractions, as Volkner said.

Approaching his bed, Ash placed a hand on Pikachu's back and groomed his Pokemon. He would make this up to Pikachu, ten times over if he had to.

Shifting his focus back to Shauna, Ash went to his dresser to get a change of clothes for her. As he did so, he found the shirt that she had loaned to him more than a month ago. Making a face as he realized he had failed to return it to her, Ash picked it out along with a pair of sweatpants for her. He went back to the bathroom downstairs and opened it to set the clothes on the counter.

"Shauna, I left some clothes for you to change into." Ash announced.

"Thanks, Ash." Shauna replied, causing him to glance at the shower. The beige colored shower curtain concealed Shauna's delicate features, but Ash could see the frame of her body as she bathed. No doubt her body was in excellent shape since she practiced to be a performer alongside the rest of the group…Ash slapped himself mentally before his mind could wander, shutting the door to the bathroom before Shauna could make any assumptions. He would never hear the end of it if she caught him staring, and if Miette heard about it, _that_ would be a fate worse than death.

Leaving the bathroom, Ash went back to the kitchen to begin working on something to help Shauna conquer her hangover. Using his phone, he found a suitable meal to help her out, and surprisingly he had made the same breakfast for Macy the prior morning. Oatmeal and Oran berries. The carbohydrates and vitamins would help her work through the alcohol that was still in her system, and some more sleep would help her recuperate fully.

Once he heard the shower come off, Ash put this quick meal together. Shauna came out before he was finished, dressed loosely in the clothes he had provided and drying her hair with a towel.

"Have a seat, I got breakfast coming for you." Ash said as he motioned to the table. There was already a setting for her, with a glass of water waiting. She smiled faintly at Ash whose back was turned as she took a seat. Taking of sip of the water, she took a moment to think back to the last time she had woken up to someone making breakfast for her. Back when she still lived with her parents.

Hearing Ash set down a bowl in front of her, Shauna left her thoughts and looked at the oatmeal and Oran berries. She gave Ash a small nod of thanks and picked up a spoon to take in a mouthful of the oatmeal. Seeing her wrinkle her nose, Ash felt a sense of déjà vu as he assumed about what Shauna would do next.

"Do you have any sugar? This stuff is so bland." She inquired causing Ash to roll his eyes.

"You too?" He said went to the kitchen cabinet to get a sugar container. Shauna glanced at him questioningly, waiting for him to elaborate. "Macy can't eat oatmeal without sugar either."

"Great minds think alike." Shauna said dryly, earning a laugh from Ash as he returned. She reached out to take the sugar shaker from him, but he kept it just beyond the length of her arm.

"Ah ah, you can only have a little bit." Ash said, wagging a finger at her. He then went on to sprinkle a small amount onto her breakfast. Whether it was enough for her to taste didn't matter because that would be all she would be getting. Shauna took in another spoonful and grimaced, sending a glare in Ash's direction.

"You suck." She whispered to him as he took a seat across from her. He smiled at her, propping his chin up on one hand. He waited quietly as she ate, entertaining some of his own thoughts until she finished.

"See? Don't you feel better now?" Ash asked her as he collected her dishes to take them to the sink.

"Just bury me." She muttered in response, resting her head on the table with a soft groan.

Ash eyed his friend cautiously as she made this statement, and winced as his eardrums were assaulted by the thump of his heartbeat. Wings sprouted from Shauna's back, but they were held down by multiple black chains. These restraints were stretched as Shauna's wings fought for freedom, but it was to no avail.

Ash looked away from her, knowing full well that his friend was struggling. That much had been obvious from her demeanor last night.

"Shauna…how did that talk with your dad go?" Ash inquired, causing her to lift her head. Realizing that this was a sensitive subject, he quickly added, "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

"I mean, there's no sense in hiding it." She mumbled out with a sigh. She began to draw circles with the tip of her finger, gathering all of the relevant information before she began to speak.

The conversation she had with her father the day before was hardly one she wanted to remember, but Shauna knew that she would have to recount it with someone eventually.

-X-X-

 _"Hey dad, how are um…things?" Shauna asked tentatively, trying to use these formalities to generate some small talk with her father._

 _She couldn't explain why, but a picture that hung on their fridge at her parents' house flashed in her mind. Shauna was only four at the time, and she was seated on her father's shoulders as the two of them beamed at the camera. It had always been so easy for Shauna to find comfort in her father during her childhood. But as she grew, her father's expectations did the same, and the ease with which she could approach him faded._

 _"Your mother and I are fine." He replied sternly, and Shauna could picture him readjusting his glasses._

 _"That's good. And how's work been? Did you work late last night?"_

 _"Yes. It was a busy night, so I didn't get the chance to call you." He explained, and Shauna nodded at his answer._

 _"Yeah, I figured as much." She noted. A silence set in, and Shauna could sense what was coming. Her father wouldn't beat around the bush, not even for her._

 _"Mija, the reason I'm calling…" He began._

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"I wanted an update," He continued. "Have you found any work beyond that job you told me about in the summer?"_

 _"No…No, not yet. I mean, I've started looking for people in need of a home health aide." Shauna explained weakly, and she could hear a scoff from her father._

 _"This…this isn't what I sent you to medical school," Her father didn't raise his voice, but Shauna could hear the growing disappointment. "I didn't spend a fortune to help you get certified as a home health aide, mjia, I sent you there to become a doctor and support yourself and a family if you chose to have one. Not to jump ship halfway and leave yourself hamstrung with three years of debt."_

 _A silence set in, affording Shauna a moment to swallow the lump in her throat._

 _"Don't you get it?" She asked him softly. "I'm not you. I wasn't ever going to be you."_

 _"Is that some sort of excuse?" He asked in return, and Shauna felt her stomach drop._

 _"It's n-" Her voice faltered, and she took a moment to run a hand through her hair. She breathed deeply and gave her response when her voice returned. "It's not an excuse!"_

 _"But this is your answer? That you don't want to experience success because you don't want to be me?" He asked incredulously as he raised his voice. "Mija, do you understand how ridiculous you sound right now? Have you forgotten how much your mother and I have worked to leave Hoenn so that you would have more opportunities in Kanto?"_

 _Shauna knew he was angry. The pace with which he spoke had increased, and she just tell that he was gesturing emphatically as he spoke. He could never talk calmly about what he had gone through to move his family to Kanto._

 _"No, dad, I know you've worked hard your whole life. I'm grateful for all of that! But I know in my heart that I can't be a doctor!" Shauna explained, though she struggled to find the words to express this to her father._

 _She didn't have the fortitude of her father to be a surgeon. She didn't have it in her to stare at a perilous situation where someone's life hung in the balance, and calmly exercise everything she's learned to save their life. Her father was making a difference, but Shauna couldn't do so in the same fashion. She needed to find her own way to affect people's lives…and she found it through performing._

 _Her father sighed audibly, and Shauna could already imagine what was coming next._

 _"Look mija, we can't do this. Not anymore. I've put everything I possibly could into your future, and I can't sit here and watch you throw it all away!" He barked, and Shauna winced at this. "We're done! I'm cutting you off, you're on your own from this day forward."_

-X-X-

Ash observed Shauna closely as she absent-mindedly fiddled with her empty water glass. She had stopped speaking, her gaze downcast and a frown on her face.

"Let me refill that for you." Ash said after getting up from his seat. Removing the glass from Shauna's hands snapped her out of her small daze, and she watched as Ash went over to the kitchen sink. Opening the faucet, he let it run for a moment before putting the glass beneath it.

With his back turned to her, Ash had the freedom to hide a frown of his own as he thought about what Shauna had shared. It was evident that she was distraught from the exchange with her father, but Ash struggled to see why it bothered her so much.

If that was him, he would've made the exact same decision as Shauna. There wasn't a doubt in his mind. Although…he probably would've done it out of spite. No, he _definitely_ would've done it out of spite. Perhaps this was the difference between them. Shauna had been actively trying to please her father, while Ash could care less what his father thought. Was that why it hurt her so deeply?

Of course, she had some semblance of a relationship with her father. The relationship he had with his father couldn't compare to Shauna's. Due to his absence, Ash never wasted a moment to consider how his father might feel about his decisions. Shauna, on the other hand, clearly wanted to make her father proud.

"Ash?" Shauna asked, startling him. Escaping his daze, he realized that the glass he had under the faucet must have been filled a hundred times over. He apologized to Shauna who stood beside him now, wiped off the glass and presented her drink. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking about what you could do." He replied softly, and Shauna tilted her head.

"You've already done enough Ash. Just talking about it again helped me clear my head a little." Shauna admitted as she leaned against the counter. "Last night was…one huge mistake. I was supposed to be watching your sisters but I left the house after they went to bed to go get those drinks."

"Shauna, that's not all on you. I had a part in that. It wasn't right of me to stay out so late." Ash interjected, but Shauna shook her head.

"I'm still the adult here Ash. What I did was stupid _and_ irresponsible." She said dryly. "What if something had happened to you sisters and my dumb ass was too drunk to help either of them?"

Ash hadn't considered this, or the repercussions that would follow. Shauna was a wonderful person, and Ash had always enjoyed her company since they had first met. Seeing her thrive in an older sister role to Casey and Macy really made her shine, and it was disheartening to return to her in such a sorry state last night. That didn't excuse the poor choices she had made, but Ash knew deep down Shauna would never have any bad intentions. She was just going through a rough patch, a _really_ rough patch.

The only solution he could think of was his own simple and straightforward approach to life. Put your best foot forward, and march!

"How about…how about we skip the pity party, Shauna?" Ash suggested, and Shauna looked down at the glass of water in her hands. Faintly she could make out her reflection on the surface of the water, and seeing herself served as a reminder of the things she did behind closed doors. These 'pity parties' as Ash put it, she had these more often than her friends knew about in the privacy of her apartment. It was an easy way to escape the reality that she had made for herself.

She was already highly susceptible to alcohol, but to top it off she had developed a dependence on it during this time.

It was a vicious cycle caused by her own weakness.

She was always mindful of her alcohol intake, never more than she could handle save for special occasions. But at the slightest upheaval in her life, she would find solace in alcohol. It provided a… _numbness_ that she needed.

After the first bottle, she'd find herself giggling as if all of her problems were like the wind. Here for a moment, and gone the next. If only it were that easy. After two, or maybe three bottles, she would be sound asleep. Perhaps she would slip in some nonsensical talk, blurting out whatever came to mind before the closest flat service invited her to rest on it. Then she would wake up sick, but above that, _alone_ in her apartment. It was a constant reminder that this was all she had. A small home, a few possessions and a passion that her family didn't believe in.

"I know," Shauna admitted, feeling ashamed. "I…"

She stopped, but Ash gave her plenty of time to decide on what she wanted to say. It was several moments before she finally shook her head with a sigh.

"It's okay Shauna, I don't want you to feel bad or anything," Ash noted, watching her closely. He knew that Shauna had many regrets, and he had no intention of trying to add another to it. She had enough of a burden on her shoulders. "I can't say that I know exactly what you're going through with your dad and everything, but I know I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm struggling too."

Shauna glanced at him, a small glimmer in her eyes.

"The two us made a gamble on something we love…and so far, it hasn't really gone the way we planned. It sucks when you pour out your heart and soul, and no one believes in you." He looked up thoughtfully. "No, it _really_ sucks. But I've learned that I can't really give a crap what other people say, or think about my dream because…it's _mine_."

Shauna's brow twitched as she listened closely.

"I mean, think about it like this. We gave up everything to follow our dream. We should be happy, but we're letting other people make us regret what we chose to do. And that's stupid." Ash stated firmly, and Shauna felt her chest swell with determination.

Ash was absolutely right!

Why was she letting other people make her regret doing something she loved?

His thoughts may have been a little disjointed, but Shauna quickly came to appreciate Ash's sentiments. She wished he had more to say, but she found him scratching the back of his neck with a furrowed brow.

"Uh, there was something else I wanted to say but it slipped my mind." He muttered, giving a weak chuckle. Shauna snorted in response, and this turned into a small fit of laughter, which put Ash at ease.

"You've said more than enough Ash," Shauna commented as she wiped her eyes with one hand. Looking back at him, Ash could see how her eyes had been refreshed, possessing a gleam of hope now. "You're right, we all struggle. And if I had to be honest, I tend to give up when things get hard. I've known that for a while now. It's just difficult not to get depressed and close myself off at times."

It was a constant battle with herself, but if she was going to break this cycle, then she would have to…

"I need to reinvent myself." Shauna declared with her new-found determination. "If I want to get away from all of this, I need to start over and build myself from the ground up."

Ash raised his brow at her statement to 'reinvent' herself. He liked it because…he needed to do the same thing.

A new foundation, one that couldn't be shaken by other people. _That_ was what he needed!

"It won't be easy," Shauna commented through pursed lips and Ash agreed. Shauna then took a tentative glance at him, mustering her courage to keep speaking. "So, um I think it'd be in my best interests if I could call you Ash, you know when I'm feeling blue."

"Why me? I know for a fact Serena and Miette could keep a better eye on you." Ash replied. The three of them were a tight-knit circle, so Ash found it odd that Shauna would rather rely on him.

"I know they would but…I've been lying to them so much about a lot of things lately including, this…I don't know what they're going to think if I come clean to them." Shauna explained with great remorse. She wasn't sure if she could face them after that.

"Shauna, you just spoke to me about it," Ash said, placing a hand on his chest. "I'm not going to look at you any differently. So, what makes you think your best friends will?"

She looked down, guilt welling up in her heart about the assumptions she had made of her friends.

"Trust your friends Shauna. You'll be surprised how often they'll come to your rescue." Ash noted, and he shot a wink at her. It took a moment for Shauna to realize that his comment was about her, and she couldn't help but smile.

Ash had furiously been trying to make things happen on his own, but it didn't take long for him to realize he couldn't do it all on his own. Accepting support from his friends had helped him press forward, and Shauna understood that she would have to do the same.

Touched, she rose up from her seat to embrace Ash. He relaxed into her hug, patting her back to comfort her.

"Thanks Ash." She whispered to him. "I promise I'll work hard to beat this."

" _We'll_ work hard, together." Ash corrected her as she separated from him. Seeing her smile with such vibrancy made his heart leap, and he returned her expression wholeheartedly.

Shauna gave a yawn, stretching out her arms as she did so before telling Ash she was going back to sleep. Ash remained in the kitchen after she left, leaning back into his seat as he thought long and hard about what he needed to do.

This conversation with Shauna helped him put a few things into perspective. In fact, this whole weekend had been enlightening.

Despite his growth over the last few weeks, Ash Ketchum had a lot of work ahead of him.

A firm foundation. That was the start.

* * *

Shauna opened one eye after feeling a small hand poking at her cheek. Seeing that it was Macy, Shauna rose up from the couch to get a better view of the small girl, who beamed at her. The movement from Shauna gained the attention of Casey, who had been absorbed with her phone.

"Macy, I said you weren't supposed to bother Shauna," Casey exclaimed, yanking her earbuds out. "Sorry, Shauna. Did you need something, Macy?"

"Yeah, I wanted a snack." Macy replied softly as she looked at her sister. Casey blushed, realizing she must've missed Macy's request because of the volume of her music.

"Not a problem," Shauna said as she rose up the couch, taking a moment to stretch. She felt much better than she had earlier, and with a quick tap of her phone, she discovered that it was well past one o'clock in the afternoon. She had slept long enough, now she would resume her usual duties. "Come on Macy, what would you like?"

"I want cookies!" She declared, and Shauna lowered her lips.

"Did you eat lunch already?" Shauna asked knowingly. Macy always wanted a treat, even at the expense of her appetite.

"No, Ashy's busy." Macy replied, so Shauna snatched her up from the ground and took her into the kitchen. They picked out a small bag of pretzels for her to eat, and Shauna promised to make her lunch in a few minutes. Now that Shauna was in the right frame of mind, she wanted to give Ash a proper thanks, or at least one she could remember.

Heading upstairs to his room, Shauna was greeted with an intriguing sight. White and black paint, scattered canvas, loud music, and a shirtless Ash - doing pushups. If she wasn't so accustomed to seeing Ash shirtless, she would've been embarrassed, but the two of them seemed to have a history of seeing the other in their less than gratifying moments.

Stepping into his room, Shauna focused on Ash and she could see that his arms were trembling with each action. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and he took in a sharp breath before he pushed himself up again.

"Don't you think you should stop Ash?" Shauna asked him as she stooped down in front of him.

"Fifteen…more." He responded, lowering his body to the floor again in preparation for another. When she caught a whiff of his odor, she decided to do herself a favor and give Ash his space. It was a slow grind as he worked through his final set of push-ups, so Shauna began to examine the canvas' around his room to pass the time.

She had been in his room on a few occasions now, and she could recall that he had many paintings all over his room. Shauna was flabbergasted at the sight of all of Ash's artistic work now painted white, each canvas being returned to the blank state it once was. Some of them had some information recorded on them now, though Shauna struggled to make sense of this new information.

There was a small sketch of someone's face, followed by some basic information.

 _Name: Volkner_

 _Rank: 2_

 _Title: Golden Flash_

 _Pokemon: Ampharos_

 _Style: Strategist_

 _Notes: If I had to make a comparison, Volkner is like Giselle…only way, way better. I don't want to battle him honestly. It'd be a chess match like with Giselle, but he's definitely going to be a lot harder to figure out. He's patient and careful to compliment his Ampharos and her lack of speed._

 _Counter Measures: Pikachu's quickness is a natural counter to his Ampharos and it's probably the only advantage we have. Overwhelming them with speed is our only viable strategy, but there's no way Volkner hasn't faced a plan like that already so I'll bet he has ways to neutralize an opponent's speed advantage._

 _Our Weakness: We don't have a finishing move. Our only option right now would be to chip away at Ampharos, which means it would be a really long battle. To win a battle like that would require both Pikachu and I to maintain the highest level of concentration to avoid any traps Volkner might have up his sleeve…and I don't know if we can do that for an extended period of time currently._

"What are these, Ash?" Shauna asked him now that he was seated on his bottom, wiping away his sweat with a towel.

"They're bios," He heaved in a deep breath. "For the best trainers in Vermilion City."

"Why are you making them?" She asked curiously as she moved to another bio.

"Most of this information I got online. I was making these to add in that little section about countermeasures and what weaknesses I have that would probably be exploited by that trainer in particular." Ash explained thoughtfully.

"So, then what happened with this one?" Shauna exclaimed as she scanned one of the bios that offered little to nothing in terms of information

 _Name: N_

 _Rank: 1_

 _Title: Chosen One_

 _Pokemon: Zoroark_

 _Style: Defensive…I think._

 _Notes: Umm…I don't know what to say at the moment. We don't really stand a chance yet._

 _Counter Measures: None that I can think of._

 _Our Weakness: Heck, he could exploit our strengths if he felt like it._

Ash chuckled at the sight of this one, scratching at the bridge of his nose.

"N is the strongest trainer out there. Haven't seen or heard of a better trainer and Pokemon than him and his Zoroark. Right now, I'm still trying to figure out how we would even make a battle with him interesting." Ash explained with a grin. Rather than seem frustrated by it, Ash seemed delighted to have an opponent that he couldn't even imagine beating.

"Why are you so happy about that?" Shauna inquired as she set down the bio.

"It's a goal. Figure out how to beat him," Ash stated with a small grin. "And along the way, I've decided to reinvent myself like you. Pikachu spent the last month working twice as hard as I did. Now I have to start making up the difference."

Shauna looked toward him again and caught a glimpse of the focus within Ash's eyes as he rolled one of his shoulders to prepare for his next exercise.

"So, what is it exactly that you train for?" Shauna asked curiously as she took a seat on his bed beside Pikachu. Shauna had treated Ash on a few occasions for his injuries during a Pokemon battle and she had seen a few on her own, but she didn't understand what went into preparing for one.

"We have to practice so that we're…in sync. It's up to the trainer to gather all of the information during a battle and decide on a course of action. The Pokemon would do their best to follow the instruction based on what kind of information their trainer gave them." Ash explained with a matter of fact tone. "It takes a ton of practice to reach a point where you as the trainer can give out the meaningful information your Pokemon needs, and they can act on it just like you pictured."

Shauna blinked, dumbfounded that there was more depth to this than she had thought. It all seemed so simple to her whenever she watched a Pokemon battle. The trainers would bark a command and the Pokemon would go at each other for a bit, and this cycle would continue until one of them stayed down. There was _much more_ to it than she had thought. In fact, it mirrored the kind of practice she would put in with the rest of the dance crew each weekend during the summer. The grueling hours they would spend to make sure everything was as close to perfect as possible.

She understood his frustration over a poor performance. He had worked hard and walked away with nothing to show for it. Rather than sulk for an extended period of time like she would, Ash went right back to working on his craft. Her lips curled upward as she eyed the budding young man, and Shauna found herself viewing Ash as more than just a hard-headed teenager.

"Alright!" Shauna declared, clapping her hands together. "I'll be rooting for you, Ash! Don't let me down!"

He grinned up at her, his determination now bursting at the seams.

"You know it!"

Seeing him return to his exercise, Shauna decided it was best to leave him to his work. As she left the room Shauna palmed her forehead with a mutter of 'scatterbrain,' realizing that she hadn't even followed through on her original intent of checking on Ash. It was to give him an apology for last night, but with a quick glance into his room, she saw what appeared to be a fiery aura around him. His blazing ambition.

From this day forth, they would be working to improve at what they pursued professionally, and as people.

Shauna felt her heart skip a beat, the excitement bursting from her like an open fire hydrant. She felt refreshed with a new outlook, and she was determined not only to make a second chance for herself, but do things right with it.

* * *

"Phew!" With this exclamation, Ash leaned back against the side of his bed and drew in several deep breaths. His arms and shoulders ached, but the pain came with a sense of satisfaction as he thought to himself – ' _no pain, no gain._ '

Hearing a soft rustling beside him, Ash caught sight of some movement from his bed. It was Pikachu! His partner stretched itself out from the position it had been locked in since yesterday and rolled onto his back. Seeing Pikachu sprawled out on his bed caused Ash to laugh as he shifted himself to sit alongside him. He began to poke at Pikachu's stomach, and Pikachu swatted at his hand in his sleep. Noting Pikachu's response, Ash felt a devilish grin break out on his face and he pinched Pikachu's cheeks as a means to wake him up.

For all the ways he had seen Macy man-handle Pikachu at times, Ash didn't expect much to happen to him. But then again that was probably Pikachu showing some restraint against a child who didn't know better. When it came to Ash, there was no reason to hold back.

Ash jolted as an electrical current was shot through him, leaving him stunned as he fell back onto the floor. The hard thud this produced awakened Pikachu completely, and he sat upright with his ears raised to take in his surroundings.

"Pi-ka-chu?" He asked, looking down at Ash with a questioning frown.

"What do you mean, 'what am I doing?'" Ash asked in return with a groan as he slowly rose from the floor. They could hear feet stomping through the hall, and not a moment later Shauna burst into the room with urgency.

"Is everything okay?" She asked as she approached Ash.

She had heard Ash hit the floor downstairs, and as tough as Ash said he was, Shauna wouldn't take his fall lightly. Not to mention when she discovered the cause of his fall, a measured shock from Pikachu, Shauna insisted that she give him a full checkup. Ash found himself rolling his eyes as she performed a reflex test on his knees, but Shauna replied to this with a 'better safe than sorry.'

"Alright Ash, it looks like you're in good health." Shauna commented with an exasperated sigh of relief. Ash raised his brow at her, and she winked playfully in response. She then excused herself from the room, leaving Ash alone with Pikachu.

Ash wanted to take some time to gather his thoughts, but the first thing that came to mind was his discussion with Valerie earlier this weekend, and how they briefly touched on the subject of communicating with Pokemon.

 _'It's a language of love…'_

He had been trying to prepare what to say to Pikachu, but he knew that there was no need to make some great speech as an apology to Pikachu. He just needed to speak from his heart.

"Pikachu…" Ash began, and Pikachu perked up at the call of his name.

"Pi?"

"You see, I wanted to tell you that your trainer is a _bum_ ," Ash stated, though he had a few more explicit words in mind. Ash could feel Pikachu's gaze scrutinizing his statement, but Ash continued before his partner could protest. "Don't try to tell me otherwise. I was awful. We're supposed to be a team and I had nothing to contribute."

He ran a hand through his hair and heaved out a sigh.

"Pi." Pikachu cut in with a motion for him to stop. "Pi-Pika. Pi-ka-chu."

"I'm not putting all the blame on myself. But I know I had a part in why we lost." Ash clarified, but Pikachu didn't take to kindly to his response.

"Pika…ka-Pikachu." He insisted, reminding Ash of everything they had done to reach this point.

"I get all that. But what kind of team are we if we don't hold anyone accountable? We're not going to have a winner's mentality if we treat our losses as nothing and move on." Ash declared. "Every failure is an opportunity to grow, to get better. I know now that I can't let the pressure get to me. That's easier said than done, but damn it I'm not going battle like I did yesterday _ever again_!"

Ash's hands were clenched tightly, almost trembling.

"I want to get better Pikachu." Ash stated, and Pikachu placed one of his paws on Ash's fist. They shared a glanced and knew that the feeling was mutual.

"Pika." Pikachu replied with a nod of agreement.

They were in this together.

To the end.

* * *

"Do you feel anything Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Ka? Pi…ka." It replied, shaking its head.

The two of them sat crossed legged, attempting to mimic a posture for meditation. It had little effect on their exercise as they each opened an eye to take a peek at the other. With an exasperated sigh, they relaxed and fell back onto the floor.

This was the beginning of a new exercise that Ash had spent the day developing. He struggled to explain it to Pikachu, describing it as a more meditative exercise to strengthen their bond. However, the lack of activity proved to be a _major_ deterrent. Neither of them could relax their minds long enough to make any sort of progress with this type of training.

Pikachu raised its head from the floor, looking toward the door as it heard footsteps approaching. Moments later the door was opened for Shauna to poke her head in.

"Ash, you got a phone call." Shauna revealed as she stepped in, extending his phone toward him. Ash raised his brow, realizing that he had completely forgotten about his phone that he had left downstairs this morning.

"Who is it?" Ash inquired as he got up from the floor. He waved off Shauna's questioning stare as she mouthed a question of 'why were they on the floor?'

"He introduced himself as Malcolm. He seems nice." She replied and Ash paled as he accepted his phone. There was only one Malcolm that would call him, and Ash knew that his next conversation with this man wasn't going to be a pleasant one.

"Thanks." He said with a deep breath, and then he focused on his phone. "This is Ash speaking."

"Ah Ash, so good to hear from you." Malcolm began. "I was a little surprised to hear a lady answer the phone. I didn't think you had time for a girlfriend."

Ash's cheeks became colored at the suggestion, and some incoherent dialogue escaped his lips in a failed attempt to come up with a response. Shauna staring him right in the face didn't help this situation either, but it was far too late to think of a way to smooth this over as Malcolm moved right on to the focus of his call.

"That aside, I was just contacted by Charles," Malcolm revealed, and Ash felt his heart sink. Word of his poor performance had already made its way to Malcolm's ears, and it dawned in him now that career as a circuit trainer could be over at the end of this phone call. "-and he told me that there have been requests coming in to battle you all day. He doesn't know who to select as an opponent for you, so he called me to assist with the arrangements."

"W…" Ash had already done his fair share of bumbling during this discussion, but apparently, he still had more to do. It took some time for everything Malcolm had just said to properly register in his mind. "Wait, there are people that _want_ to battle me?"

"Yes. I don't know what you did, but it worked like a charm." Malcolm remarked, and Ash could envision the small smirk on the man's face as he said this. "I don't have the time to go over the arrangements with Charles, so I want you to take care of this. Get in touch with him as soon as you can and…start making things happen."

"Uh…ye-yeah, right! I'm on it!" Ash declared, and the call ended soon after. Ash then looked from Shauna to Pikachu, his mouth opened slightly.

"What's with that stupid face?" Shauna asked with a small laugh.

"There are people that want to battle us." Ash said incredulously. Why did they want to battle him though? He was terrible in his battle against Brawly!

"Well that's a good thing, right?" Shauna asked him, and Ash blinked twice. He thought about this from Shauna's perspective, and the very black and white mindset she had on the matter. In its simplest terms, this was good. Someone wanted to battle him in the Hidden Cove, which was exactly what he needed. Did he really need to think about the 'why?'

"Yeah, you're right Shauna!" Ash said with a small grin. He had to get in touch with Charles right away to get himself a debut match!

Thanking Shauna for delivering his phone, the brunette then left him to make the phone call that would mark the beginning of his new life.

"Hello, this Charles Goodshow. Who am I speaking to?" The older gentleman asked mechanically.

"Hey, it's Ash Ketchum." Ash replied, and the warmth returned to Charles' voice as he spoke.

"Ash, I had a feeling you would be calling me," Charles noted and Ash laughed softly. "So, I take it you've heard the news then?"

"That I've got a match?"

"Indeed. In fact, you have twelve." Charles stated and Ash's jaw dropped.

"Twelve!" He exclaimed.

"Twelve _requests_ to battle you, is what I should have said." Charles corrected himself with a snort. "In most cases, I typically make the arrangements for someone's debut match because the debut trainer is usually sending requests for a match, but you're receiving them. So, I was hoping to get some input on what kind of trainer you'd like to battle."

"I get to _choose_ who I'm going to battle?"

"Just this one time. But as I said, debut matches don't receive this kind of attention. So, I did a little digging because I thought this was rather strange, and it didn't take me long to find the answer." Charles explained, causing Ash to raise his brow. "Melissa is going to send a video to your phone with a pair of timestamps, take a look at them."

There was a brief pause before Ash felt his phone buzz. He kept his call with Charles open while he opened the message from Melissa. It was a link to the PokeHub, bringing him to Brawly's profile where his stream from Saturday had been posted. The first time-stamp took him to a point late in the stream, and the focus at the time was Ash and Brock.

Ash could hear the voice of Jerome, the young man who worked as Brawly's PR manager as he spoke to the stream, giving his first impressions of Ash.

 _"So, this is Brawly's last opponent for the day. It'll be starting in about twenty minutes. My first impression is…I don't know who thought it would be a good idea to let a kid into the circuit, but they're an idiot. He's going to get stomped." Jerome related as he zoomed in on Ash and Brock. The two of them went their separate ways, Ash to go through some last-minute prep while Brock joined the audience to begin spreading the word about Ash's upcoming battle._

 _Brock came close to where Jerome was filming, and he began to proclaim Ash's credentials to the audience._

 _"Alright people, you're about to see something special!" Brock declared. "This is the debut for 'Quest!' Mark my words that he's going to take the circuit by storm, and it all starts with Brawly!"_

 _The crowd immediately became involved upon hearing Brock's pronouncement._

 _"Hah, that's a good joke!"_

 _"You think some no name is going to take down Brawly!?"_

 _"You don't believe me?" Brock snapped back at them. "He's got the biggest sponsor backing him as proof that he's good! Don't underestimate him, or he'll sweep the rug right out from under you!"_

"You can pause it there, Ash." Charles cut in, speaking up over the stream Ash was watching. "Skip to the next timestamp now."

Following his instructions, Ash moved onto the next scene near the end of the stream. Ash and Brock were long gone, and Jerome was currently interviewing Brawly now that the day was over. The subject that came up was Ash.

 _"And Brawly, any thoughts on your last match with the kid?" Jerome asked as he readjusted the focus of his camera. Brawly took a moment to think of his answer before he looked directly at the camera._

 _"His Pikachu was strong, there's no doubt about that. But the trainer, I think his name was um…'Quest.' He's not ready for the circuit. Easy money…easy money." Brawly explained, shaking his head with this sentiment._

Ash paused the recording on his own this time, a few key phrases replaying in his mind. Brock had announced that he had a big sponsor, and Brawly told everyone that he stinks…

"I'm being targeted?" Ash asked, and the sigh from Charles confirmed his suspicion.

"That's one way to put it." Charles responded carefully.

Ash exhaled, earning Pikachu's attention. His expression had grown dark, and he balled his free hand up into a tight fist that began to tremble visibly. Ash felt as if he had been spurned, as if all the trainers in the underground circuit were looking at him with contempt. The thought of Morgan's twisted sneer from this past Friday flashed in his mind, and Ash could feel his body begin to shake.

How many people were going to do this to him?!

No matter what they did, they weren't going to keep him down! Ash was a raging inferno, eager to prove himself! All these fools were doing was fanning his flames, and he would show them what kind of _nightmare_ a determined Ash Ketchum could be.

"I want the first three people who put in a request for me." Ash stated firmly.

"The first three?" Charles repeated, and Ash nodded to himself.

"Yeah. I want you to line them up for me… _and just watch_."

The smirk Charles wore went unseen by Ash, but the older man was glad to know that Ash was more than just persistent. There was a _tenacity_ about him, and Charles couldn't wait to see Ash put this on full display.

"Alright. I'll give you three weeks from this coming Saturday to prepare," Charles revealed, and Ash felt his lips curve upward. "Put on a show for you me, young man."

"You've got it," Ash replied and then he ended the call. With a glance toward Pikachu, Ash saw that his partner knew what he was about to say. "Pikachu, we've got work to do!"

* * *

 **A/N**

Kay, this was a pretty charged chapter between Shauna and Ash and I loved writing every minute of it. I spent a lot of time working on that scene between them in particular, and I hope it comes across as heartfelt. Addictions are hard to beat, but if you've managed to beat one all on you're own then you have my respect. If you're struggling, get help. There's no shame in admitting you need help, and it took me the longest time to figure that out lol.

MjrGenMatt made his usual contributions, all of which were fantastic as always. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to read this, and I hope you all have a great one. Send me a little love in the review section if you feel the urge to do so, and I will see you all at the next update! Peace!


	24. Moment of Triumph

**Chapter 24**

* * *

 **Wednesday, December 7th**

All actions have consequences.

How true that proved to be…

With a sigh, Dawn began to poke at her lunch to remedy her boredom. Nando and May were running late, and this left her to her thoughts, all of which surrounded the budding young man that she hadn't spoken to in almost two weeks. Ash Ketchum.

Things had been rather… _stale_ with Ash's absence. Not that hanging around her usual friends like May and Zoey was boring, not at all. She adored each of them, but time with Ash was different. He was more than the wisdom and guidance Zoey offered or the compassion and understanding of May. Talking with Ash was an experience in itself.

She still wasn't sure why, but it would stir up something within her. By the time she was done talking with him, she felt uplifted…or inspired! She missed having those daily discussions with him, whether it was actual conversations, or just passing notes during class. The lack of contact left a void that she struggled to fill.

"He-y!" May said, looking at Dawn sideways which snapped the bluenette out of her daze. "Earth to Dawn, its lunch time."

"Oh uh, hey." Dawn said softly as her friend took a seat beside her.

"What's the matter? Not hungry?" May asked with a gesture toward Dawn's lunch, all of which had gone untouched.

"Not really, I guess." Dawn mumbled out, and May was quick to pick up on Dawn's sullen demeanor.

"Okay then, what's bothering you?" May pressed, giving Dawn the opportunity to jump on the subject that was troubling her.

"It's nothing, I'm okay." Dawn responded half-heartedly. May pursed her lips at Dawn's reply. This had been something Dawn had been saying since she last talked to Ash. She had become more withdrawn, and May knew better than to poke at Dawn when she wasn't in the mood to talk. All she could do for now was wait, and offer Dawn the chance to talk about it. One day she would open up so long as May kept giving her the opportunity.

"By the way, Nando said he wouldn't be coming to lunch today. He's working on another piece with Mr. Juan." May explained, and Dawn nodded at this piece of information.

"So, um, May?" Dawn began, receiving her friend's full attention. "How are Casey and Macy?"

May perked up the question and smiled fondly at the thought of the two girls.

"They're doing great," May replied. "In fact, they ask about you from time to time. Can I give them a message from you?"

"Um…" Dawn hesitated, looking away from May briefly. Then she shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"Mmm, okay." May said, and she left it at that. Silence ensued as May began to check her text messages until Dawn piped up with one final question.

"And what about Ash?" Dawn inquired, and May felt her lips twitch, threatening to rise in a smirk. She knew Dawn couldn't just stop thinking about Ash cold turkey! Keeping her friend's current feelings in mind, May kept a neutral facial expression and looked up in thought.

"You know, he's been busy."

* * *

 **Thursday, December 16th**

Within Ash's home, a forgotten glass of water remained untouched on the kitchen counter. Periodically, the glass would shake, sending a ripple through the surface of the water. The cause for this? The _outrageously_ loud music coming from the living room.

"WHOO!" Shauna screamed over the music as she danced at the center of the group. It consisted of her two closest friends, Serena and Miette, along with Casey and Macy. They each moved at their own pace to the beat, though Shauna was the center of attention as she displayed the new routine she had been working on.

As the music concluded, Shauna came to an awkward stop as further proof that this routine was still under development. Miette and Serena didn't hesitate to applaud her for what they had seen since it was great seeing Shauna in such high spirits again.

"That was great, Shauna!" Casey declared, but she received a deadpan stare from Shauna.

"That was a great _break_ , right Casey?" Shauna asked her in return. "Now get back to your homework."

"Aww, I'll finish it later." She retorted with a huff, but Shauna pointed toward the doorway as a gesture for Casey to return to her room.

"Ash has been chewing me out because you've been skipping out on your homework. So, get to it, march young lady!" Shauna said with an air of authority, causing Serena and Miette to raise their eyebrows. Casey complied begrudgingly, making a few comments under her breath as she left.

"Geez, you sound like my mom Shauna." Miette noted, and Shauna turned to her with an expression of shock.

"Are you calling me old?!" Shauna exclaimed in return.

"She sure is!" Casey barked from upstairs.

"Young lady, don't make me come up there!" Shauna hollered back, earning a laugh from Serena and Miette.

"Yup, just like my mom." Miette added, and Shauna pursed her lips with a blush.

Miette's innocent comments struck a chord with the smallest person in the room, stirring up thoughts that had been buried within her for the past weeks.

"When's mommy coming home?" Macy asked them, and Miette's eyes widen briefly. Each of them shared a glance, and then Miette decided to take charge. Kneeling down in front of her, Miette scooped up Macy in her arms and made her a promise, one that she hoped she wouldn't regret.

"She'll be home soon Macy, you just have to be patient," Miette assured her as she rose up. "Now come on, let's get you washed up and then we'll watch a movie."

The usual enthusiasm that embodied the child wasn't present even after Miette had suggested they watch her favorite movie. Her green eyes scanned Miette's face inquisitively, and the bluenette took a momentary glance back at her friends. Shauna felt her heart shatter at the sight of Macy's expression; the doubt, and apprehension. It wasn't something that should be seen on the face of a three-year-old. Shauna stepped forward, deciding to add her own words of reassurance in addition to what Miette had said.

"It's a promise, Macy," Shauna said as she cupped her hands around Macy's cheeks. Shauna leaned in and gently placed her forehead against Macy's. "Your mommy will be back home soon."

Shauna separated and placed a kiss on Macy's forehead now, and the uncertainty faded a touch. She gave them a nod, and the girls relaxed as Miette went upstairs to help Macy change for her bath.

Once they were out of earshot, Shauna heaved out a sigh and dropped herself down onto the couch. Serena stood in the doorway of the living room, glancing at the stairway with a hand on her chest.

"God, she's as tough as nails." Shauna muttered, looking up at the ceiling to stop the threat of tears. With a sniffle, she drew Serena's full attention, and Serena quickly joined her on the couch.

"Are you okay?" Serena inquired, and Shauna wiped her thumb against the counter of her eyes.

"The two of them, Casey and Macy…" Shauna began, shaking her head. "They're so strong sometimes that it just amazes me. Their mother is gone right now and neither of them ever stop to cry or anything, they just keep marching along. I have no idea what I'd do if I was in their situation."

"I don't either Shauna," Serena admitted. "All I know is that the two of them will be fine so long as Ash is okay. They're drawing strength from him."

Shauna agreed wholeheartedly. During Cassidy's absence, Casey and Macy saw Ash working hard _every single day_ , doing everything he could for them. Those girls would go as far as Ash could take them, and Ash would see this through to the end.

"Do you think Cassidy will be okay?" Shauna asked in a whisper, and Serena bit down on her lower lip for a while. She didn't even want to consider the thought of Cassidy never returning.

"She will. We just have to help Ash until then." Serena stated, placing a hand on Shauna's back. Since the focus of the conversation shifted to Ash, Serena could help but ask how he was handling everything. "How is he doing by the way?"

Shauna didn't need any time to think of her reply.

"Ash…? He's working hard."

* * *

 **Saturday, December 24th**

Brock eyed his parents cautiously as he sat across the table from them. His father drummed his fingers, occasionally taking a glance at the entryway to the dining room. Within a few moments, Lola came through with a grateful sigh before she took a seat beside her husband.

"Okay, the twins are asleep." She announced, and Brock now had the full attention of both of his parents. "So, what did you want to talk about Brock?"

"I just wanted to double check with you guys that we're set for the barbeque next Saturday." Brock began, and both of them gave him a nod.

"Yeah Brock, we went over this already. We're off from work so we're happy to have your friends over for the night. It's New Year's Eve after all." His mother noted.

"Right. The reason I wanted to talk to you guys is that I wanted to invite two more people, they're friends of Ash and Valerie." Brock explained, but this didn't deter his parents.

"The more the merrier, Brock." His father said with a smile.

"Hold on," Brock interjected, raising one hand toward them. "Let me finish before you guys give me your verdict."

Flint and Lola shared a glance and then waited for Brock to continue.

"I'm coming to you guys with confidential information, so everything I say from here, can that stay between us?" Brock began, and he received a nod of confirmation. "I know you guys already know Ash has a Pokemon, but Valerie also has one living with her. The reason I'm letting you guys know this is because I'd like them to bring their Pokemon to the barbeque."

"I see…" Lola said softly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Flint learned forward, placing an arm on the table as he studied his son.

"Why?" Flint asked, being straightforward with his son.

"I spoke with Valerie recently, and I heard about everything she's been through because she chose to live with her Pokemon," Brock explained, maintaining eye contact with Flint as he spoke. "She's had it rough for a while, but she's always been working hard, _really hard_. I know a lot of people would say she's brought it on herself…but I know that's not a fair judgment."

Flint raised his brow at the hardy stance Brock had taken. It was no small task to make such a statement with how poorly the public viewed Pokemon. Coming before his parents to discuss this was proof of how committed Brock had become to these creatures. Flint raised a hand to cover his mouth, concealing the smirk that had formed on his face. Even if the subject was touchy, he was proud to see his son speaking with conviction…like a man.

"I know you guys may not understand it right now, but I've realized just how much trainers value and cherish their Pokemon. I learned it from Ash and Valerie," Brock went on, a soft smile on his face as he spoke. "In fact, there was something both of them said that really made it clear to me. They said that talking with their Pokemon goes beyond words…you reach a point where you just understand each other and, well, I thought that was a lot like family. I know you guys so well," Brock motioned toward his parents. "And I don't know what I do without you all, even the twins."

This gained a snort from his mother.

"They love their Pokemon so much, yet they get all kinds of criticism from people that have no idea what they're talking about for it. What I'd like is…for all of you to give their Pokemon a shot at setting an impression with you and the kids." Brock explained. "I know you all might have your own preconceived ideas, but all I'm asking for is this one night, put anything you might have heard aside, just meet Pikachu and Spritzee, and see what they're like."

Silence set in. He watched as his parents looked toward each other and held a conversation using their eyes. Brock could only breathe out and wait. He had done all he could, it was up to his parents from here.

Brock hadn't said a word to anyone, but hearing Valerie's story had really changed his thought process. Training alongside Ash and viewing battles all over Vermilion City, Brock had come to appreciate the work trainers and Pokemon do. But he never got to grasp the depth of their relationships until he heard what Valerie had gone through. He had never imagined trainers having to sacrifice relationships with their loved ones for the sake of following their dream. It helped him fully understand Ash's goal of changing the public's perception.

Brock wanted to do something to help, and he realized the first thing he could do was make a change in his own home.

"Alright." His mother said, bringing this extended silence to an end. Brock looked from one to the other, his mouth slightly open.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." Lola stated and Brock jumped up from his seat to go around the table, absorbing both of them in his arms and he kissed his mother on the cheek.

"Oh, you guys rock!" He exclaimed. "Let me get each of you a drink!"

Flint couldn't help but chuckle as Brock dashed off into the kitchen. He was glad to see his son in such high spirits despite the rough stretch he had been going through. As he turned back to his wife, Flint caught sight of the frown on her face and raised his brow at her.

"You alright?" He asked her, and she exhaled before giving a response.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" She asked in return and Flint snorted.

" _You're_ the one who said yes." He pointed out, and Lola shot him a narrow glance. Flinted breathed out through his nose, smiling at his wife while he placed his hand on top of her own. "Just look at him. Have you ever seen him this focused on something before?"

Lola looked at the doorway fondly, and she knew that she couldn't deny it. Brock's heart had been captured…this thought caused Lola to laugh.

"I just realized…" She noted with a giggle. "I always thought his first love would be with a girl, but look what happened…"

Flint stifled a laugh at this realization.

"Exactly. I think we owe it to him to give it a chance." Flint said, and Lola nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you're right."

Brock came back from the kitchen with two glasses of apple cider in hand for his parents. They thanked him graciously, and while Flint downed his glass, Lola spent her time thinking about the friendship of Ash and Brock. In all the years since Brock had been born, Lola had never seen him get as close to someone as he did with Ash. Their love for Pokemon was what produced such a close bond, and seeing her son find strength from this was…impressive.

She had always felt guilty for stunting Brock's growth. He was almost twenty-five years old and rather than pursue his own livelihood, he was still living with his family, supporting them as his brothers and sisters grew up. As much as she appreciated this, she could see the drawbacks. Brock stopped thinking about starting his own life.

But now, Brock was growing up right before her eyes, and she had Ash to thank for it.

"By the way, how's Ash?" Lola inquired, and Brock beamed.

"He's getting ready for something _big_."

* * *

 **Tuesday, December 27th**

The amber skies of the late afternoon glowed against the beads of sweat that rested on Giselle's forehead. With a huff of irritation, she laid her worn out and thoroughly beaten Cubone against a tree trunk. This had become a common occurrence now, and for Giselle, a tough pill to swallow. Looking back at her _'pill'_ , he and his Pikachu were at the center of the clearing practicing as always.

Battling Ash Ketchum and Pikachu was a daily ritual for Giselle and a frustrating one at that. Today's battle was especially annoying because their 'peanut gallery' felt the need to comment on how one-sided their battles had become.

 _'Giselle, are you even trying?!' Brock hollered, and Giselle's head snapped to the side to give Brock a hard stare._

Of course, she was trying! But that _moron_ couldn't tell!

The development Ash and Pikachu had gone through over the last three months had been nothing short of exceptional. When she had first met Ash and Pikachu, Giselle had many words to describe them.

Undisciplined. Bull-headed. Inconsistent.

It led to the rough battling style he used during their first few encounters. He did 'dumb' things like challenge her Cubone at close range, which played right into Giselle's hands. She thought he must have been the luckiest guy in the world when he managed to beat her with tactics like these, but she quickly learned that lucky wasn't the right word to describe Ash Ketchum.

Determined, fit the bill.

Acknowledging Ash's potential, Giselle joined Brock in resetting Ash's foundation as a trainer. And they built him up from there. It was astounding how much he had improved with a better grasp of the basics.

Fast forward nearly three months, and the difference between Ash then and now was like night and day.

"Hey." Brock's voice snapped Giselle out of her thoughts, and she saw Brock looming over her. He offered a water bottle, and she accepted it with a stare that threatened to burn holes through his head. Brock scratched at the back of his neck with a chuckle. "Sorry, I was a bit of an ass during your battle."

"A bit?" Giselle asked him with an expectant look.

"Alright, alright. I opened my mouth more than I should have." Brock admitted, raising his hands as though she held a weapon. "I'm sorry, it's just that your battles with Ash have been weird lately. He's always in control, so I thought you might have been trying to test some new things against him."

"I would if I could." She retorted with a huff, glancing toward Ash and Pikachu as they practiced. Brock furrowed his brow at this statement, unable to conceal his skepticism.

"So, he's doing _that_ well?" Brock asked for clarification.

"I wouldn't go that far. Naturally, his Pikachu is a bad matchup for Cubone. We were winning at first because, well, Ash had no clue what he was doing," Giselle said bluntly, and Brock snorted. "But now, he's turned into a trainer that takes full advantage of our lack of speed. It's something Cubone and I just don't have an answer for. He's good, against us."

"So, uh, how do you think he stacks up against other trainers?" Brock asked him, and Giselle gave a laugh.

"Are you worried about his debut match?" She inquired, and Brock's lack of a response was proof enough. "You don't need to worry about him. He's going to crap all over the bottom feeders in the underground circuit."

Brock pursed his lips and lifted his eyebrows at Giselle's statement.

"I don't know if you've ever heard of this saying, it's pretty old. It went, ' _I fear not the trainer that has practiced ten thousand different attacks, but the trainer who had practiced one attack ten thousand times._ '" Giselle looked toward Brock and saw that he couldn't figure out the application, so she pointed back to the duo at the center of the clearing.

Ash stood several feet from Pikachu, a bevy of small stones in hand. His partner was down on all fours, with six after images flickering alongside him. Ash would pelt stones at Pikachu who would have to stop these stones from passing through while maintaining his Double Team. Pikachu did so in various ways, using his paws or tail to swat down the stones to test how many after-images he could manage while in combat. It was a very archaic style of training, but the results were evident. Pikachu had mastered using Quick Attack and Double Team in conjunction, making him nearly impossible to track once he got going.

"They've refined that combination to a point where it could threaten just about _any_ trainer and Pokemon in the underground circuit." Giselle explained, a faint smile on her face as she observed Ash.

Brock fished out his phone to enter the PokeHub, searching for the profile of Ash's first opponent. He was a Hoenn born trainer in his late twenties sporting some mid-length dreadlocks.

This was Peter Neil. Better known as 'Island Pete.'

Giselle stole a glance at Brock's phone and saw him checking the profile of Ash's first opponent. Rolling her eyes, she could see that as much as Brock was rooting for Ash, he couldn't help but worry about him.

"Look, Brock, he'll be fine." Giselle stated.

"I'm just…worried about his confidence after losing to Brawly." Brock explained with a sigh.

"Confidence?" Giselle said incredulously. She then gestured toward Ash. "Just look at him, he's practically wearing it. I underestimated him and he punished me for that. Don't make the same mistake I did."

Brock couldn't stop a smirk from forming on his face, and he began to shake his head as he laid his doubts to rest. He of all people should've known better than to doubt Ash Ketchum!

With a glance back down at the profile of 'Island Pete,' Brock shook his head and shut off his phone. He focused on Ash and watched as Ash praised Pikachu for how far along its Double Team had come. Grinning at the sight of this, Brock was more anxious than ever to see his friend in his debut match.

This was the starting point for Ash 'Quest' Ketchum!

* * *

 **Saturday, December 31st**

"One last time Pikachu!" Ash hollered at the six after-images of Pikachu that darted around him on the sandy beach of the Hidden Cove. Ash's eyes bounced around, trying to track the movements of the combination of Quick Attack and Double Team, but it was for naught. Even after closely watching Pikachu practice this combination for over a month now, he was still at the mercy of his partner once the after-images went on the attack.

The focus on this training was, of course, to let Pikachu further refine his offense, but Ash took this as a challenge to test himself. Tracking Pikachu's movements tested his eyesight and reaction time, two qualities that all trainers needed to have in tip-top shape. To Ash's dismay, he found little success despite the constant practice they did. He had only managed to avoid two of Pikachu's attacks before he was overwhelmed.

It was a frustrating exercise for Ash who could do little to nothing besides get hit by Pikachu, and he blamed Giselle for it. She warned them that at the highest levels, even the slightest bit of predictability could be their downfall. So, Giselle drilled it into Pikachu's skull that he can't have a pattern to his movements. This proved to be worthwhile because it made this combination of moves even more lethal. But, on the other hand, this made Ash feel helpless during his exercise since he couldn't predict Pikachu's movements. Ash could smile at this, because if he couldn't predict Pikachu's movements, then that meant their opponent couldn't either, and that was what made Pikachu so deadly.

Two of the after-images crossed in front of him and Ash jumped back on one foot with a 'Hah!' This celebration was short lived as Pikachu himself came down the middle and plowed Ash right in the stomach, throwing him onto his back in the soft sand. Realizing he was down on his back yet again, Ash relaxed into the sand with a groan while Pikachu approached him to apologize.

Brock laughed inwardly, watching the duo from afar. It was at this moment that he wished he had brought someone with him, perhaps Giselle, or anyone that he could talk to. His heart had spent the last few hours occupying his throat, and Brock couldn't swallow this tension if he was paid to.

Today was the big day after all.

Ash's debut match.

Giselle had assured Brock that there was nothing to worry about…that Ash would be able to handle his first opponent without any problems. But the betting odds had been posted today with the match schedule, and Brock was left in shock after he saw the line for Ash's match.

Match 2 – Debut – 'Island Pete' vs 'Quest.' 251/50.

Those were some of worst odds ever posted at the Hidden Cove!

Seeing those odds reminded Brock of the warning they received from Charles Goodshow. Conquering the underground circuit would be a long and arduous road. But this…Brock could hardly believe that this was what the circuit thought of Ash. That there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that he could win against the 'bottom feeders' as Giselle called them.

Brock began to chew on his lower lip and replayed Giselle's statement from earlier this week.

 _"I underestimated him and he punished me for it."_

This wasn't the first time Ash had to prove himself. He had done it before, and it was clear that he would have to do it again. Perhaps a dozen…maybe even a hundred times!

If there was anyone out there that would prove his worth a hundred times over, it was Ash 'Quest' Ketchum!

Hearing the call of a Mantine, Brock looked toward the entrance of the cove where a pair of the watercraft Pokemon had arrived with two groups of spectators. These were the first people to arrive for the matches this afternoon. Taking out his phone, Brock saw that it was almost five o'clock. There was only an hour left until showtime.

Seeing that multiple spectators had arrived, Ash and Pikachu ended their practice. Anyone who had come to see his match would likely be judging him based on what they had seen in Brawly's live stream last month. As far as he was concerned, Ash wanted that opinion of him to remain until these people saw him live. He had so much more in store for his opponent today. This thought brought a grin of eagerness to Ash's face, and the urge for movement began to bubble up within him.

He couldn't wait to battle!

Clenching his hands, his forearms became tense. It felt like he was going to _explode_!

He couldn't practice anymore, so all he could do with this pent-up energy was pace back and forth, recalling what Giselle had told him concerning this match.

 _"Don't show him any respect, just dominate!" She declared to him. "He's not going to view you as his equal, so don't you dare think of him as your equal, because he's not. You're way better than him, so I want you to dominate! Dominate the field, dominate any weakness you see, just…dominate!"_

He's wasn't sure what inspired that speech from Giselle, but she had imprinted one word on his mind.

Dominate.

That was their motto for this battle.

It was his first showing in the underground circuit, and anything less than a dominant performance wouldn't suffice.

Feeling an elbow grind against his side, Ash was snapped out his thoughts by Brock. As his focus returned, Ash could hear the commotion of the audience and realized that the beach had been filled to capacity.

"Whoa." Ash noted as he looked around.

"Big crowd today, but its New Year's Eve so I guess they must have sold every ticket this week," Brock explained before he gestured to the stadium. "They called in the participants. It's time."

Pikachu scaled Ash's body and took his usual perch on Ash's shoulder, gripping the shoulder of his trainer with his front paws. Brock then offered his own support, extending a hand toward Ash. They clapped their hands together, and Brock pulled him close to slap Ash's back with his free hand.

"Knock em' dead out there." Brock said to him before he released Ash.

With a short breath of air, Ash took a glance at Pikachu on his shoulder, and then to Brock. A grin formed on his face as he took a hold of the brim of his cap and tipped it to his friends.

"We got this." Ash declared, and with that, he went off toward the stadium.

The security at the front entrance was waiting with a checklist for the trainers that would be taking part this afternoon. Ash was met with some odd looks by the staff as he was checked in, but there were no words exchanged beyond the normal formalities. He was granted entry into the main lobby of the Hidden Cove where the trainers had been gathering. Compared to the outside of the stadium, it was almost deathly silent with a heavy atmosphere.

The trainers were scattered about the room, likely going through their final preparations for their upcoming matches. Upon entering, a familiar face in Melissa, Charles' assistant, approached him.

"There you are." She noted, taking a glance at the tablet she held. She skipped any sort of formal introductions and went straight to the information Ash needed. "You'll be battling from the blue box tonight, follow the attendant over there," She pointed to a man waiting at the entrance to the left corridor. "And he'll take you to the waiting room."

"Oh, thanks." Ash said to her.

"And good luck tonight." She added and then she left him.

Melissa returned to the center of the room where she cleared her throat and called for everyone's attention.

"All participants are accounted for. We want to thank you, trainers, for all the hard work you and your Pokemon have done in preparation for tonight. It's an honor to have you all battling here at the Hidden Cove, and we hope that all of you will deliver a memorable performance for those attending. So, without further ado, you may all head to the waiting room. We will be opening the main gate in five minutes, and then fifteen minutes after that we will begin." Melissa explained, then she gestured to each of the attendants who called for their respective groups to follow them.

The trainers filed out of the lobby, Ash being among the last to go.

"Aye there boy." A voice called out to him, and Ash turned. The source was a young man wearing a colorful beanie that failed to contain his lengthy dreadlocks. This was, 'Island Pete.'

"You talking to me?" Ash asked in response as 'Pete' or, Peter approached him.

"Oh gosh, yes. Don't ya recognize me?" Peter asked in return, and Ash furrowed his brow, detecting the thick island accent Peter spoke with. He was speaking English, but Ash had to take moment to sift through his words before he could put it all together.

"No." Ash gave him a straight forward answer, and Peter sucked his teeth audibly.

"How ya don't know me?" He inquired, but then he waved off his own question, deciding to introduce himself. "I am your opponent. They refer to me as 'Island _Pete_ ,' and _I_ have never known _defeat_."

Ash cringed at the rhyme and felt the need to point out an obvious fact.

"I read about you." Ash began, and Peter donned a smile of pride. "I'm pretty sure your record was four wins and seven losses…so I'm pretty sure you know a thing or two about defeat."

Peter's gaze became narrow, and he leaned toward Ash.

"Look nah, don't get fresh with me cause ya young," Peter warned him in a low voice. "Ya know how long it been since I beat a teenage that feel he fresh? You go ahead with me…"

Ash stared back him, unable to give a rebuttal largely due to the fact that he needed time to process what Peter had said. Ash's silence left Peter with the impression that he had put Ash in his place, and a smirk formed on his face.

"Now boy, if ya know what good for ya, lose quick and spare ya-self the shame," Peter added, and Ash creased his brow. "I don't want to humiliate ya in fron-ta all these people."

"I wouldn't be worried about that." Ash retorted.

"Ya feel ya bad or what?" Pete asked him, but before Ash could give a response Peter sucked his teeth and continued. "I can't wait to take all the money from ya sponsor. It'll be a _big payday_ for me. No more callaloo, just the finer things of Kanto. My first dinner go be tastin' _nice_ because I beat teenager that feel he fresh."

Peter turned away to head off toward the waiting room. He glanced over his shoulder to share his final comment with Ash.

"Don't feel bad when ya lose boy. Because I am 'Island Pete.' And I can't be beat."

Ash deadpanned at the second delivery of Peter's motto as the man went on his way. Staring at the back of his first opponent, Ash's expression became hardened.

His brow was low, gaze sharp, teeth grit and a fire in his heart.

* * *

The last time Ash had sat in a waiting room, it was at the free clinic a few months ago with Fantina to get his arm checked out. It was a dreadfully boring experience, and of course he wasn't looking forward the next time he would have to be a waiting room. That next time was today, and he was waiting for his match within the Hidden Cove stadium which proved to be a surreal experience.

Perhaps it was because he was anxious, and eager and excited and…a whole lot of other things. But above all else, he wanted to battle. Of course, this feeling was shared among all the trainers present, so collectively this passion or zeal that filled the room threatened to overwhelm them all. Thankfully there was a release valve, the call for the first match to begin. And as the first trainer left the room, it was like everyone exhaled at once.

It was finally starting.

The monitors on the wall came to life, showing the MC who was located in a special seating area in the upper reaches of the stadium. He thanked everyone present for attending despite the holiday and called for the first two trainers to approach the battlefield.

They were introduced, each receiving a round of applause before the battle begun. The battle itself began to blur in Ash's vision, his focus now elsewhere.

He was actually here!

Not as a spectator, but as a participant! All these people were here to watch _him_ battle. He was the real deal, a professional Pokemon trainer!

 _"There are all kinds of trainers out there. But the ones that can't give a battle their all…They don't deserve to be trainers."_

Volkner's words boomed from within the recesses of his mind, and Ash shook his head as if to activate a pair of windshield wipers to clear away these distractions. He wasn't going to repeat the mistake he made against Brawly. Right now, he had to stay focused.

Ash took in another breath, and the rampant thumping of his heart abated. A chilling calmness descended onto him, and Pikachu tightened his grip on Ash's shoulder. A glance at his partner allowed Ash to peer into Pikachu's dark eyes and the sharpness that occupied them.

They were ready.

Out of the blue, his phone buzzed. His intention had been to ignore it, but it buzzed again, and again. Removing the device from his pocket, Ash turned it on to see that he now had five inbound text messages.

 _"Yo Ash, I heard from Brock that you're going into your debut match! Best of luck to ya man!" – Tierno._

 _"You got this dude, show them your stuff!" – Brock_

 _"Good luck Ash, I'm rooting for you!" – Shauna_

 _"Just trust in Pikachu and you'll be fine." – Valerie_

 _"Dominate!" – Giselle_

Ash showed his phone to Pikachu, and without a word between them, they knew that they couldn't fail now. They had so many people backing them. They couldn't fail them.

 _We won't._

Ash raised his brow at Pikachu, and a smile broke out on his face. In response to Pikachu's statement, Ash punched his palm audibly and this earned the attention of the entire room. He rose to his feet and looked around to meet the gaze of the trainers. Some of their eyes were filled with ire and indignation. Others, amusement. Ash beamed at them all and planted his thumb against his chest.

"My name is Ash Ketchum, of Pallet Town, and one day I'm going to be the greatest Pokemon Master!"

* * *

His name had been called just minutes after his declaration, and an attendant waited for him in the corridor to guide him to the battlefield.

"Are you sure you don't want to put you Pikachu in his Pokeball?" The attendant inquired as they moved. Ash shook his head and raised his hand to scratch the top of Pikachu's head.

"No Pokeball for this guy… _yet_." Ash replied, and the attendant raised his eyebrows at the sight of this Pikachu.

"You haven't captured this Pikachu?" He asked incredulously.

"Nope, he's just stuck with me since I was little, and I can't thank him enough for that." Ash replied, and Pikachu wore a broad smile.

"My, what a loyal Pokemon." The attendant commented, returning Pikachu's smile. Pikachu's ears perked up, the sound of the audience beginning to echo through the corridors as they neared the battlefield.

As a debuting trainer, the attendant gave Ash a brief rundown of the process leading up to the battle, and everything that was expected of him. Sportsmanship was the highest item on this list and it was a quality that all trainers were expected to display during their matches at the Hidden Cove.

They entered the final corridor, the largest that Ash had seen within the stadium. Similar to the main lobby, it was well decorated, hosting framed pictures of the most memorable trainers that had made an appearance at this stadium.

There were many trainers that Ash didn't recognize but grew to admire just from a quick observation of them in these photographs.

One, in particular, caught his eye. The trainer himself had striking red hair and wore a fluttering cape, but what demanded Ash's attention was the _humongous and fearsome_ looking serpentine Pokemon behind him. It was only an image, but the furious red eyes of this Pokemon struck his heart with a sense of fear. How could anyone defeat such a Pokemon?

"Ah, that was a day no one will forget. It was the first time a Gyarados was used in battle here." The attendant explained with great admiration, and Ash's jaw dropped at the name of this Pokemon.

He had heard the stories about these Pokemon and their destructive nature, how old legends whispered of the towns and people that disappeared in the wake of this Pokemon's wrath. Ash's gaze focused on the caped trainer with an expression of awe. He struggled to grasp the thought of such a Pokemon being _caught and trained_ for battle by this man. Such a feat just seemed…unfathomable. But he was staring at the photo evidence.

"I don't know what that young man must have gone through the capture a Gyarados, but he was regarded as one of the best to ever appear at the Hidden Cove." The attended explained with a grin.

"Where is he now?" Ash asked curiously. He had been through the database enough times to know that this man wasn't currently ranked, and the attendant's response confirmed this.

"I'm not sure. This picture," He gestured to the image. "Was his last appearance at the Hidden Cove, and that was a few years ago. I haven't heard about him since."

Ash pursed his lips in dismay. He would have loved to meet this trainer and ask him about that Gyarados. But that thought aside, Ash knew that now wasn't the time to get caught up in the rich history of this stadium. His debut match awaited him.

He and the attendant pressed on toward the end of the corridor, Ash doing his best to keep his eyes focused on the end of the tunnel. But one picture caught Pikachu's attention, and he voiced this to Ash. With a glance Ash froze as well, his eyes now caught in the gaze of the trainer that stared back at him.

It was his father, Aaron, standing alongside his Kadabra. The two of them stared blankly at the camera, clearly none too happy with being photographed.

 _I bet he's out there somewhere…watching us._

Ash glanced at Pikachu who stared at the picture intently.

"I'll bet he is." Ash commented, and while the enthusiasm may have been lacking in his voice, Pikachu could feel the desire burning up from within Ash.

His desire for triumph and success.

To prove himself.

And validate his dream.

"Let's show him what we've got."

Ash distinctly heard the MC give a call for 'Island Pete' to approach his trainer box on the field, and Ash knew what was going to follow.

"And now in the blue box, in his debut match here at the Hidden Cove, please welcome the newcomer, ' _Quest_!'"

The attendant made a gesture to the end of the tunnel that opened up like a gaping maw to the battlefield. Ash gave him a nod and tore off in a sprint. The filtered lights within the tunnel couldn't compare to the lights that loomed over the battlefield. This forced him to lower his head, using the visor of his cap to shield his eyes as he came skidding to a stop in his trainer box. The temptation to look around the audience was great, but Ash suppressed this urge and set his sights on his opponent across the field.

Peter was fiddling with a miniaturized Pokeball, anxiously waiting for the referee to explain the rules for the battle.

"So now, without further ado, I hand things over to the referee." The MC announced, and the crowd became quiet as the ref called for both trainers to come to the middle of the field.

Ash and Peter met at centerfield, and the ref came up to them to go over the rules.

"Circuit rules apply to this battle. It is a one on one and calls for forfeit will be acknowledged. The battle will be ended with either Pokemon is judged unable to continue." The ref explained. "Shake hands and return to your boxes. The battle will begin on my mark."

The formality was exchanged, and both trainers turned away from each other, making the trip back to their box. Ash kept his gaze low, refusing to acknowledge the existence of the audience. As far as he was concerned, there were only four people in existence.

Pikachu.

Peter and his Pokemon.

And the referee.

"Trainers, select your Pokemon." The ref ordered. Ash held the tip of his visor and gave a nod to Pikachu who leaped from his shoulder to the field. Pikachu went down on all fours, pressing his paws down on the field to experiment with the foundation he would be fighting on. It was a hard-rocky surface, portions of the field being left uneven as natural wear and tear from the battles each week. But this was right up Pikachu's alley. There was nothing in sight to impede his movements, which gave them free reign.

"Roselia!" Peter barked as he pressed the trigger on his Pokeball. It swelled to its full size in his hand, and he hurled the device onto the field. It cracked open and a formless being bathed in white jumped down to the field where it took on its natural form.

Ash eyed Roselia for himself and seeing this Pokemon left him thinking that she was more suited to be a decorative piece than a combatant in a Pokemon battle. But then again, the appearance of Roselia was likely what made her such a dangerous opponent.

"Are you ready, trainers?" The referee inquired, and there was mutual nod of agreement from the parties involved. He raised the flag he held and called for the contest to begin.

Ash swung his hand through the air and barked out an order to Pikachu, who flickered in response. Then Pikachu darted forward, flashing across the field in an instant as he approached Roselia for a frontal assault. With only a moment to react, Roselia raised her arms in front of her chest and braced for impact. The first attack never came, and she lowered her guard slightly to scan the field for Pikachu but he was nowhere in sight.

Peter's mouth hung open, unable to conceal his shock at Pikachu's speed. He had a full view of the battlefield but it was still very difficult to track the yellow blur as he dashed around the field. Suddenly Roselia was sent flying to her side, Pikachu now standing where she stood previously with a smirk on his face. Roselia rolled twice before she slapped the ground to set herself back on her feet, shooting a glare at her opponent. Ash thumbed his nose, a grin breaking out on his face.

Their advantage in speed was as clear as day, but Peter was quick to acknowledge this.

"Roselia, protect ya-self with Stun Spore!" Peter called out, sending a smirk at Ash. Roselia raised her flowery limbs and spun, coating the area around her in a cloud of sparkling gold dust. Peter then raised his hand and motioned for Pikachu to attack. They would punish Ash and Pikachu for getting up close and personal with Roselia.

"Deep breath Pikachu!" Ash called out, and Pikachu cocked his head back to inhale deeply. "Now use Quick Attack again!"

With distended cheeks, Pikachu glowed white as he charged in and Pete gawked at the command. Who in their right mind would charge headfirst into a Stun Spore?! Pikachu darted into the cloud and circled Roselia to strike from behind. He really dug into this one before he connected with Roselia, throwing her straight out of the area she had sealed off with Stun Spore. Roselia grimaced from the blow to her body but landed upright, a pout on her face as she saw Pikachu exit the Stun Spore.

He shook his body from head to toe, tossing off any of the dust that had gotten onto his fur. Pikachu beamed at Roselia who gave a 'tsk,' her irritation with Pikachu becoming quite evident.

"Wha-tis this boy?" Peter exclaimed, pointing emphatically at Pikachu who was just fine despite spending some time within the Stun Spore cloud. "Pikachu should as stiff as a board right now!"

"Shows you don't know much about that attack you're using." Ash responded with a grin, though he had Giselle to thank for this information. She had discussed every move that Peter's Roselia knew with him, and of course, Stun Spore had been covered in this discussion.

Stun Spore was a deceptively powerful move for its ability to incapacitate the opponent by attacking the nervous system. For it to do so, it had to be inhaled to enter the bloodstream, and from there it's lethal effects would take shape. But these powerful effects could easily be avoided by something as simple as holding your breath. This revelation left Ash snickering, but he came to understand this was an attack meant to capitalize an opportunity on a trapped opponent, not for a neutral engagement.

"Alright then, Roselia show them your Mega Drain!" Peter commanded, and Roselia raised her hands above her head. Wisps of yellow gathered at the center of her flowers, and from this, it took on the form of a serpentine which Roselia lashed out at Pikachu with like a whip.

"Dodge it with your Agility, Pikachu!" Ash ordered immediately. The serpent-like beam was launched at Pikachu, the head of it diving onto the Pokemon like an Arbok would on its prey. It came crashing down onto the field, pounding a sizable hole into its surface which threw up dust and debris. Roselia narrowed her eyes, realizing that her attack had failed to latch onto its target, so she scanned the field briefly in search of Pikachu.

A yellow blur flickered across her field of vision, and her head snapped to the side in an attempt to track him. Pikachu was all over the place, and Roselia was desperately trying to follow his movements as she retracted her Mega Drain in preparation to launch it again.

"Now use Double Team!" Ash shouted, deciding that now was the time for them to go on a full offense. Roselia was clearly becoming frustrated with Pikachu's speed, so it was time to make a play on that. Pikachu stepped hard on the field, turning up his speed another notch as he ran a circle around Roselia, summoning a total of six after-images around her. Roselia 'tsked' at the sight of all the Pikachu around her, and glared at each of them, then she summoned her Mega Drain once again and attacked.

The image she struck faded away and a new one took its place in a different location. Peter sucked his teeth and shot a glare at Ash as his Roselia did to Pikachu. What he had expected to battle, and what he was currently battling didn't match at all. Ash wasn't ' _supposed_ ' to be good. He was ' _supposed_ ' to be a frazzled teenager that didn't know his place as a trainer.

So why…why was he performing so well?

Ash swiped the tip of his nose with his thumb and called for Pikachu to begin his assault. One of the images burst forward with a shout, and Roselia turned and lashed out with her Mega Drain in response. The image faded away once again, and another image burst forward.

Roselia appeared as if she was performing gymnastics, wielding her Mega Drain as though it were a ribbon stick. She twirled and spun, intercepting each of Pikachu's attacks with the use of her Mega Drain, trying to narrow down her targets to hit the real Pikachu. To her surprise, there was a call from Ash for Pikachu to 'ramp it up,' and his assault intensified. Two images would attack at a time, and Roselia found herself struggling to keep up. Separating her Mega Drain into two separate but smaller whips, she began to spin rapidly in the same fashion as a Baltoy, forcing Pikachu to keep his distance for the time being.

"Nice Roselia, keep that up!" Peter exclaimed with a clap of his hands. That was all he needed, more time to develop a plan.

Pikachu maintained his distance, carefully observing Roselia as she spun.

"What do you think Pikachu?" Ash asked aloud.

"Pika!" He declared, stamping his front paws. _I see it!_

Ash pumped his fist and raised his hand to the visor of his cap. Taking hold of it, he turned it around and smiled broadly now that he knew his next move.

"Quick Attack!"

The Double Team faded away, and Pikachu glowed white before he went off to the races. He traced a white line around the perimeter of Roselia's defense, matching Roselia's turn speed to run alongside one of the Mega Drain whips.

He knew what Pikachu intended to do. It was one of the first things they had practiced with Brock and Giselle. How to accelerate on a dime. Ash could tell by Pikachu's declaration that he could see through Roselia's defense. At his top speed, there was no doubt that Pikachu could pierce through and score a blow. And it all went according to plan.

Pikachu turned and vanished from sight altogether. In the instant that this happened, Roselia was knocked off her feet and sent spiraling. Just as Roselia touched the ground, Pikachu was there, throwing his shoulder into her torso. She gave a pained gasp from the blow as she was thrown up into the air, and once again she came face to face with Pikachu. He was above her, poised to strike as they met. Another blow to her body began Roselia's descent to the field, but Pikachu followed up with a chain of attacks. Each subsequent blow increased Roselia's velocity as they fell, and she was smashed into the field by a fierce tail slam from Pikachu. Her frail body had been imprinted into the field from the attack, cracks extending from the point of impact as she laid on her back.

Her Mega Drain whips dissipated as Pikachu leaped away from her, and the referee stepped onto the field since Roselia remained still. He approached, and moments later his ruling was given.

He raised his flag and gave a motion toward Ash.

"Roselia is unable to battle, the victory goes to the blue box!" He declared.

For the first time since he had set foot on the field, Ash was forced to look up and acknowledge the audience. His ears popped, and their applause and cheers rained down upon him. He almost lost his footing as he looked around, and the realization set in that all this was for him.

"Great match rookie!"

"Come back again, I'll root for you!"

It was…unreal.

A moment of triumph. One that he wished could last forever. But the following moment he enjoyed just as much, if not more. Pikachu had jumped into his chest, and Ash managed to catch his partner and welcome him into an embrace.

"You were absolutely awesome Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, praising Pikachu for their success. Together they looked up to the audience and beamed, waving to the crowd.

"ASH!" Another voice roared over the cheers, and of all the people to come running toward him, it was Brock. Wrapping Ash in his arms, Brock hoisted him off his feet proudly. "You did it, man! You did it!"

"Spectators are not allowed on the field." The MC declared over the speakers, and out of his peripheral vision, Brock caught sight of two of the security attendants rushing toward him. He dropped Ash, gave him a wide grin and a two-fingered salute before he was tackled to the field. "We apologize for the minor disturbance; the following match will resume shortly."

Ash could hear the laughter from the stands above as everyone watched the security team drag Brock off the field. Sheepishly he scratched at the back of his neck and glanced at the eight-foot wall that Brock had jumped down from. Only Brock was crazy enough to do that, and right after a match no less.

"Come on Pikachu, let's hope Brock doesn't have to pay a fine or something." Ash muttered as he began to march off the field. Turning his cap back around as he approached the tunnel, Ash couldn't help but pump his fist once more.

He had done it!

He won his debut match!

* * *

Brock had been detained in a security office, a small room tucked away in the farthest corner of the Hidden Cove stadium. Following their protocol, Brock was to be kept there by the security team until today's matches were over. For most spectators, this was a hefty punishment considering the price of a ticket. In Brock's case, he got in for free thanks to Ash, but getting him out was an entirely different issue.

Fortunately, Charles Goodshow made an appearance and made an exception for Brock. Rather than spend the rest the day here, he was ordered to leave the stadium with a warning that they wouldn't be so lenient next time Brock was involved in something like this. Ash and Brock thanked the elderly man earnestly, and from there the duo was escorted to the exit of the stadium.

Once they were outside, the group of Ash, Brock, and Pikachu shared a glance and burst into a fit of laughter.

"Only _you_ could get us thrown out of this place Brock." Ash pointed out, and Brock raised his hands in his defense.

"Hey, I got caught up in the moment." He retorted. "I couldn't help it!"

"I can understand that." Ash sympathized with him, a glint in his eyes. "I mean, at least you didn't flirt with that lady in the security office. That could've made this a whole lot worse."

"Sheesh, you talk like I have no self-control." Brock exclaimed, and Ash shot him a look.

" _You don't_ when it comes to women." Ash said pointedly, and Brock's mouth hung agape causing Pikachu to laugh out loud.

"S…so?" He mumbled, and Ash could only shake his head. Brock had no _self-control_ , and he also had no _shame_ in admitting this. "Forget about what I did," Brock pointed at Ash with two fingers emphatically. "You're the star right now man! Everyone at the barbeque is going to be so hyped to hear that you won!"

"Oh shoot, I forgot all about it!" Ash exclaimed, and suddenly he became conscious of his body odor. He had been training hard all day in preparation for his match, and his current stench was also proof of this.

"Heh, I figured as much," Brock replied as they began their journey down to the shoreline. "I had Shauna bring a change of clothes for you to my house with your sisters. You can shower up and get changed over there."

Ash stopped mid-step as Brock went on ahead of him. Staring at the back of his friend, Ash's expression became lopsided. No matter what, Brock always had his back. Big or small, he could count on Brock. And this thought reminded him of his current situation that all his friends had so graciously been helping him through. They were all unbelievable people, and he would make it up to them ten times over! Of course, the first person he intended to pay back was Brock. Running after his friend, Ash put an arm around Brock's neck and pulled him down slightly.

"I can't thank you enough for looking out for me, Brock." Ash stated in a low voice.

"What are friends for?" Brock asked in return, giving Ash a gleaming grin.

"Pika-pikapi." Pikachu commented snidely, and Ash laughed loudly.

"Oh shoot, I see Pikachu's got some choice words for you." Brock noted with a chuckle, causing Pikachu to raise his brow.

"Wait, you heard Pikachu just now?" Ash questioned.

"I definitely heard something about ' _dragging your sorry ass_.'" Brock replied, and Pikachu couldn't help but snicker.

"So, you…you can understand Pikachu?" Ash exclaimed, looking from Pikachu to Brock.

"Well yeah, Valerie said it best, 'it's a language of love.' Pikachu loves you," Brock said, and Pikachu gave a nod of agreement. Brock then placed a thumb against his own chest and spoke fluidly. "And I love ya."

A heartfelt smile took shape on Ash's face, and he shook his head at the sentiments of his friends. He couldn't have asked for two better ones.

"Now come on Ash, you can't keep everyone at the barbeque waiting. Everyone wants to hear the good news!" Brock declared as he pointed to the nearest Mantine that waited on the shore.

In twenty minutes, they were back on the rocky beach where they had parked Brock's car.

"I'm telling you, man, you were amazing out there!" Brock insisted as they arrived at his car. He mimicked Ash's action of turning his cap around and gave a 'V for victory.' "And when you did that, I knew it was all over. I stood up and was like, Ash has got this!"

Ash gave a quiet laugh as Brock retold the battle from his perspective, giving Ash some the minor details that had gone unnoticed while he was battling.

"I even managed to get a snapshot of you when you did that." Brock commented as he whipped out his phone. As he went through his gallery with one hand, he used the other to unlock the car for them. Ash and Pikachu got into the passenger side, and the small Pokemon jumped into the backseat, where he flopped over with a sigh of contentment.

"Yeah, you earned a good rest Pikachu." Ash stated as he watched Pikachu snuggle into the plush seats.

"Ah, here we go!" Brock said, passing Ash his phone. He then strapped himself with his seat belt and started the engine, leaving Ash to study the picture.

It was at a distance, but Ash could clearly see this image was just moments after he had given his final command to Pikachu. Ash felt his heart quiver at the sight of this picture, and he tightened his grasp of Brock's phone.

It was a picture of him…in an _official battle_ at the Hidden Cove.

The last three months seemed to hit all at once. All of the time he spent under Giselle's tutelage. The information, her experience, she beat all of this into his brain to help him reach this point.

Then there was his best friend in Brock, making the time and effort to drag him from school to Route 6 on a daily basis so that he could train freely with Pikachu. If not for Brock, Ash had no idea how he would've gotten this far.

And of course, he couldn't forget his partner through all of this. The countless hours spent under the late afternoon sun refining what they had learned. Ash couldn't help but place a hand on his lower torso, remembering the blows he had received from Pikachu to help him practice his target acquisition.

All of this had gotten them to the Hidden Cove.

To take one tiny step forward in his journey.

They made it!

"Ash, what are you doing?" Brock asked him, looking back and forth between Ash and the road.

Ash had taken off his seatbelt and lowered the window on the passenger side. Without a word in reply to Brock, Ash stuck his upper body out of the window until he could rest his bottom on the window sill. He stared out at the glimmering sea and admired how it stretched out to the vast horizon. A view that seemed to go on forever. His chest swelled, and Ash could no longer contain the excitement that was building within him.

He threw his head back and screamed.

"I'm going to be the greatest Pokemon Master _ever_!"

How he wished his scream could be carried on the waves to the lands across the sea. To share with people across the world that…Ash 'Quest' Ketchum, was coming!

* * *

 **A/N**

I think I'll start with a disclaimer. The quote by Giselle earlier in this chapter was made in reference to a quote by Bruce Lee. I take no credit for how it was used in this story.

Now on to the big takeaway from this chapter, HE DID IT! It was quite a road just to get to this point, but Ash made it! It feels awesome to have made it this far!

Here's something I'd like to share if you're interested. It's about 'Island Pete.' Several times its mentioned that he has a thick accent that Ash has trouble making sense of. In case you're not familiar with what an island accent sounds like, just go on Youtube and look up Trinidadian or Jamaican expressions to get feel for how he was talking. This was one of the minor details I have in this universe, similar to how Fantina speaks French because she's from Kalos. People from the mainland in Hoenn speak Spanish, while the islands speak English with an accent like the Caribbean Islands. Just thought I'd share this piece of information with you guys. :D

This chapter also joined my favorites list, and it's chock full of little details all over the place. I won't mention their significance, but they are definitely there if you feel like searching for them.

This battle was…kind of tough, I want to say. I was trying to explore more possibilities with Pokemon moves beyond just the aspect of hitting each other. I feel like that's the next step I could take to improve my battles, but as I've said before, I'm learning on the fly. The next battle is sooner rather than later, so wish me luck on my next attempt.

I want to welcome all of my new followers for joining me on this ride. And I also want to thank those of you who reviewed as well. And of course, a big shout out to MjrGenMatt for his outstanding help.

The closing scene to this chapter was something I pictured a long time ago, so its kind of surreal to finally write and publish it. Thank you all for supporting me up until this point! There is going to be a small delay on the next chapter. Chapter 25 is already being edited, but I have to complete chapter 26 to double check a few things before I can upload chapter 25. My apologies in advance, but I hope to see you all at the next update!


	25. Without Context

**Chapter 25**

* * *

Ash sunk further into the warm water of his bath, leaning his head back against the smooth ceramic. It wasn't until he eased himself into the tub of Brock's upstairs bathroom that Ash realized how tired he was. He had showered every night during the past three months, but this bath felt so much more soothing, as if the exhaustion from the past several weeks were being washed away. Was it because the tension and pressure to succeed in his first match no longer applied? It had to be. He felt loose and relaxed.

Pikachu surfaced in the water, only a portion of his head visible as he observed Ash. There was a glint in his eyes that Ash recognized, causing the young man to straighten up at the sight of it. He was too late though, Pikachu swirled in the water, and Ash could only deadpan after his face had been doused.

"Ugh, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed as he wiped the water from his face. Pikachu snickered at the sight of his now droopy hair, earning a narrow stare from Ash, but he was too lazy to retaliate. Leaning back again, Ash took a deep breath and chose to ignore Pikachu as his partner resurfaced on the other side of the tub, climbing up onto the edge.

Observing Pikachu as he shook his fur, Ash couldn't help but recall a similar sight with the Stun Spore in their battle not even two hours ago. A grin formed on his face as the memories flashed in his mind. Pikachu darting around the field as Roselia battled back with her Mega Drain whips was a sight to behold. The thought of the referee declaring them the winner sent chills down his back, and the roar of the audience was the cherry on top.

He could hardly believe that he had just won his first match at the Hidden Cove. No matter how many times he replayed it in his mind, it was still difficult to grasp. He was finally moving forward!

Ash raised his head, catching the scent of something delicious in the air.

Barbeque!

He licked his lips, and the rest of his time in the bath became an afterthought. His stomach was now at the top of his priority list!

Once he was cleaned off and fully dressed in the t-shirt and jeans Brock had provided, Ash and Pikachu darted downstairs, where they could hear the commotion loud and clear. Approaching the open door that led out onto the back porch, Ash and Pikachu had a full view of the backyard and everyone that occupied it. It ranged from Brock's family to his closest friends and family, but it was the littlest person of all that was the first to notice his entry.

"Ashy!" Macy exclaimed as she approached, arms outstretched. He kneeled down and scooped her up in his arms, beaming at her. "Did-ja win?"

"Did I?" Ash asked her in return as he looked up in thought. "O'course I did!"

"I knew it! Ashy's the best!" She declared as a group of Valerie, Tierno and Shauna joined them on the porch.

"Well, I'll take it you have some good news?" Valerie asked with a smile as Ash set Macy back down on her feet so that she could address Pikachu.

"Sure do!" Ash said as he struck a pose, topped off with a V for victory! "You can put down one in the win column!"

"Ha-ha! I knew you had it in you!" Tierno exclaimed as he hooked his arm around Ash's neck, pulling his friend down in a headlock. "I just can't believe you didn't invite me to come to see it in person. I didn't even know you had a professional match until Brock sent me that text earlier."

Guilt tinged Ash's expression momentarily as he glanced up at Tierno. He had become so absorbed in his training during the last month that the thought of telling his friends didn't even occur to him. And he was shocked that Brock had kept the secret up until this point.

"Ah, I'm sorry Tierno. I was caught up in myself trying to get ready for it," Ash apologized as Tierno released him. "I'll make it up to you. How about I getcha tickets to my match next weekend?"

"That sounds good in my book!" Tierno declared, and they shook on it.

"Hey 'grill-master!' You're needed at your station!" Flint barked from across the yard, and Tierno perked up. It was then that Ash noticed Tierno was wearing a large apron that stated: Kiss the Grill-Master. He stifled at a laugh and watched as Tierno left them to join Flint at the grill.

"WOW!" Two voices thrilled together. Billy and Tilly came rushing up onto the porch where they crowded around Pikachu with Macy. "What's this one?!"

Their curiosity was heartwarming, and Ash fought to hold in a smile as Macy introduced Pikachu to them. Billy and Tilly were absolutely enthralled with Pikachu, smothering him as they patted his head and groomed his fur. Pikachu was loving all of the extra attention he was getting as they took him off into the yard for more room to play.

"Remind me to thank Pikachu later," Valerie said with a giggle to Ash. When he gave her a look of intrigue, she went on to explain. "Spritzee isn't used to being around kids. She didn't really like how Brock's siblings were handling her."

Ash took a glance around the yard in search of the pink Pokemon and found her perched on the shoulder of Brock's mother, Lola. Ash could just imagine the woman fiercely protecting Spritzee from her hyperactive twins.

"To be honest, I'm still a little shocked that Brock's parents let us bring out Pokemon into their home," Valerie admitted as her gaze shifted from Flint, who was working the grill with Tierno, to Lola, who was lounging on a lawn chair with Spritzee. "Although what really surprised me was how quick Brock's mom took a liking to Spritzee."

"Really?" He exclaimed, brows raised and Valerie gave him a nod to confirm.

"Yup, she already labeled Spritzee as her," Valerie stopped to snicker, then she raised her hands to make air quotes. "' _Golden child_.'"

Ash laughed out loud, picturing Brock's dumbfounded reaction to such a statement.

"Anyway, I'm really happy for you, Ash." Valerie said sweetly, and with that she went off, leaving Ash and Shauna to talk amongst themselves.

"So, you really did it? You won your big match?" She asked him curiously as they turned their backs to the yard and leaned against the banister of the porch.

"You know it," Ash replied cheekily before he looked up at the sky that stretched out over them. It was pasted with orange glows, signaling the approach of the final night of the year. Ash's expression became more somber as he seemed to relax, and Shauna took note of this. "For a while, I was wondering if I'd _ever_ make it to this point. Now that I did it's…it's hard to really believe this happened."

Shauna gave him a faint smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, ya did it," She stated. "And you busted your butt to do it. So just chill out for tonight."

"Yeah, I'm with you on that." Ash noted with a nod.

"Good. When you wake up tomorrow, it'll be easier to accept it," Shauna said, and she opened her mouth to continue, but uncertainty touched her on her shoulders causing her to hesitate. She glanced out at the yard again, her eyes going straight to Serena, who was chatting with Miette by the stereo system. With a deep breath, Shauna pushed her doubts aside and went on. "And if you still can't believe it, do me a favor and _believe this didn't happen_."

Ash furrowed his brow, but before he could even direct his questioning glance at Shauna, he felt her lips against his cheek. It was quick, no more than a fraction of a second, and he needed a moment to process it. His cheeks turned pink as he struggled to word a question.

"Wha-Sh…" Ash could only bumble out his shock as Shauna stuck out her tongue playfully. She then turned on her heels and left him, walking with a skip in her step. With her back turned to Ash, she hid a blush of her own, but her gaze drifted to the two people that had seen the small kiss she had left Ash with.

Miette and Serena.

* * *

"Alright, what _was_ that Shauna?" Miette exclaimed as she, Serena and Shauna stepped into the kitchen, where they could speak with some privacy. Shauna sat at the table across from Serena, and Miette was looming over Shauna as if to interrogate her.

"What was what?" She asked innocently, and Miette rolled her eyes.

"Don't play that game, you know what I'm talking about." Miette retorted as she pointed a finger at Shauna exaggeratedly. Shauna narrowed her eyes but maintained her playful demeanor.

"Is this really any of your business, Miette?" Shauna inquired, but Miette responded by dropping her hand on the table. Shauna winced but held a smile.

"I'm making it my business." Miette proclaimed, earning a snicker from the brunette.

"That's so like you," Shauna noted before she shifted her gaze to Serena, who had been silent since they entered the kitchen. "I'm waiting for you to say something."

Serena observed her friend, her face lacking in expression.

"I mean, do you have a problem with that kiss?" Shauna asked Serena, and suddenly all eyes were on her. Serena pursed her lips and took a deep breath through her nostrils.

"Well, what am I supposed to say?" Serena asked them. "He was dating Dawn for a while. It's not my place to tell him he can't see someone else. Nor is my place tell you," She focused on Shauna with what felt like a chilly glare, but her face held no sort of disdain for her friend. "That you can't kiss him…no matter how much I hate it."

"Why are being so freaking noble?" Miette muttered with a small laugh of disbelief. "You can't really be okay with this?"

Serena shot her a look, and there was a brief pause as they shared some unspoken communication. Then Miette bit down on her lower lip with a groan of irritation.

"Fine then!" Miette turned back to Shauna to pose a question. "Answer this for me, why?"

"Why what?" Shauna asked, and Miette's stare became narrow causing Shauna to drop the façade. "The kiss, right…well…I was happy for him, and I wanted to show it."

"So then, was it just a kiss? Or was there more to it?" Miette pressed, and Shauna looked up in thought.

"I think that…I got a chance to see exactly what Serena, _and_ Dawn, fell in love with." Shauna noted, causing both her friends to raise their brows. "I always thought of him as a kid, but there's more to him than I gave him credit for. I almost feel stupid now for thinking he was too young for me. In fact, I wish I had tried to look at him, you know, with an open mind from the beginning. I would've noticed how amazing he is a lot sooner."

Shauna and Serena shared a glance, a hint of a smile on their faces.

"It's just like best friends to fall for the same guy." Serena mumbled out, and Miette pinched her nose with a sigh.

"Then I guess I have no choice but to join the club." Miette stated, causing Shauna to laugh out loud.

"The more the merrier. A little competition might keep things interesting." Shauna said with a sly grin before she stole a glance at Serena.

With this, she caught a glimpse of agitation on Serena's expression. Her jaw was tight, and she bit down on her lower lip ever so slightly. No matter how much Serena might pretend this conversation wasn't bothering her, Shauna could imagine that it must have been eating away at her insides.

"But I will say this, I know that Serena had her eyes on him first. And I'll respect that." Shauna stated, giving Serena a wink. "But I'm going make a pact with him. If, for whatever reason, we're still single at forty, we're gonna get married."

Silence ensued as her friends stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Are you aware of how ridiculous you sound right now?" Miette asked her, earning a laugh from Shauna.

"I'm totally fine with that, because you said the same thing when Serena said she was going to start dating Ash." Shauna pointed out, and Miette faltered. She had indeed said those exact words to Serena almost two years ago. But in her defense, it did seem ridiculous for Serena to date a junior in high school when she was _nineteen_!

"Alright then, what if I make the same pact with him, but for when we're thirty-five?" Miette asked, sporting a smug grin.

"I'll propose when we're thirty then!" Shauna hollered back.

"I'll propose to Ash right now then!" Miette declared, and Serena palmed her forehead.

"Uh…" Brock had walked in when the proposals began, and he found himself smirking at the girls.

"Don't get any crazy ideas, Brock!" Miette said vehemently, recognizing the look in his eyes. Trouble was sure to follow if they didn't nip this in the bud.

"I don't have any ideas," Brock replied. "But now I know Tierno isn't going crazy. Ash really does get _all_ the girls."

"He did not _get_ all of us!" Miette barked as she took a threatening step toward Brock. Recognizing the danger of an aggravated Miette, Brock turned to leave but she darted off to pursue.

Shauna and Serena laughed together. Once their laughter cooled off, Shauna felt the need to assure Serena that she had no intention of trying to capture Ash.

"But earlier you said that you-," Serena began.

"I know what I said." Shauna interjected, and the night she had been caught drinking by Ash came back to her with clarity, especially one phrase in particular.

 _"I just feel awful knowing that I hurt someone else chasing this dream I have."_

"I wouldn't want to put him through that again," Shauna explained softly. "So, don't think of me as any sort of threat. You and Ash have been amazing friends for me this past month. I couldn't do anything to hurt you guys."

Once again, the back entrance to the kitchen was opened, this time by Tierno.

"Hey, are you guys going to stay in here all night? The party is just getting started!" Tierno said with a gesture for them to join everyone outside. The center of the yard had become the dance floor as everyone was rocking to the music.

"Come on," Shauna stated as she jumped to her feet. "Let's forget all the heavy stuff and have a good time tonight."

Serena agreed wholeheartedly, and they returned to the yard.

* * *

Stationed by the stereo system, Trevor was happy to take on the duty of DJ for the night. His laptop held a six-hour playlist function as their source of music, filled with a variety of songs, including a few requests from each of his friends. Brock had been the first one to make a request, calling for everyone to vacate the dance floor.

"Alright people, I want the Jive Steppers on the floor!" Brock declared as he pointed at each of his crew members.

"Oh god, don't tell me we're actually keeping that name." Miette groaned as the group of five joined their captain.

"Yeah, it's the only thing we've got right now. Come up with a better one and I'll be happy to change it." Brock replied to her.

"Not cool, man!" Tierno exclaimed in defense.

"What's the deal Brock, what are we doing?" Serena asked curiously. Brock had mentioned his desire to do a routine for his family, but he had never specified what exactly they would do.

"I thought it'd be nice to give Shauna's routine a go." He replied, and Shauna's eyes became wide.

"We've only done it together, like, twice." She pointed out, and Brock shrugged his shoulders.

"So? It's not like this performance counts or anything." Brock responded, and Shauna felt her shoulders sag.

"Yeah, it'll be fine Shauna." Serena assured her, but Shauna still felt conflicted.

Perhaps because this was the first routine for which she was responsible for all of the choreography. Shauna had only shown it to the rest of the group two weeks ago, so they had hardly practiced it, and a part of her wanted everything to be perfect before this routine was unveiled.

But at the same time, everyone was here to have a good time. There was no one here who expected perfection from them. And she couldn't expect that from them either.

"Alright." She said with a nod to the group, and Brock clapped audibly to get everyone's attention. He pointed a finger at Trevor, a signal to begin their track. The clap of hands marked the beginning of the song, and Brock began to raise his hands as a motion for everyone to clap along.

Ash laughed at his friend and his exuberance. According to Brock, his family had seen videos of him performing and practicing with the crew, but this was the first _live performance_ that they would see. Of course, Brock was going to show out.

As the beat intensified, the group of five took their places on the dance floor in a V formation with Shauna at the forefront. Each of them grooved in place to stay loose, and then Shauna gave them a countdown. Ash raised his brow as the routine began, already spotting a noticeable difference in style.

Serena had previously been responsible for most of the choreography that they did, and her work had always been very fluid and ballet-like. Shauna's style went contrary to her friend, lots of sharp, quick movements that you'd find the street performers using. Their footwork was fast, something that played to Miette and Brock's strengths, and their hands were constantly in motion. They commanded everyone's attention, earning some exclamations of awe from their audience.

Even though they made mistakes, as performers they smiled through it. As much as Ash wanted to focus on Shauna, because this was her routine, his eyes kept drifting to Serena beside her. It was hard to ignore her as she danced. Not that the rest of the group couldn't hold his attention, it was just that Serena was _exceptionally_ captivating as she danced. The way her sundress moved as she twirled, the way she'd laugh with her hair in her face. Without saying a word to him, she demanded that his eyes remain on her.

The applause broke Ash out his thoughts as their performance came to an end, and the crew shared a group hug to praise Shauna for her work. It was outstanding, and they couldn't wait to use this in the future.

"Now it's my turn, Trevor!" Shauna hollered to the ginger-haired young man. "Everybody find a partner!"

As the dance floor became crowded again, Serena felt a pair of hands against her back pushing her forward. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that it was Shauna, and she was being moved straight toward Ash!

"Shauna!" Serena exclaimed before she was shoved into the young man. Stumbling, Serena was unable to correct herself before she collided with Ash.

"Whoa, are you okay there?" He asked, and Serena felt her cheeks redden as she leaned against him. He had hardly budged from the contact, and he had an arm around her waist to keep her from going anywhere.

"…Yeah." Serena muttered as she looked back in Shauna's direction, but she was long gone already. And, right on cue, the music began, hosting a tempo that Ash and Serena were very familiar with. One of the finest tango songs produced in Hoenn.

"So that's why she wanted us to find partners," Ash noted as he glanced down at Serena, and he stifled a laugh. "So, I guess it's no coincidence that you're with me now."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Serena replied as she fixed her bangs, tucking them behind her ears. Then she posed the obvious question. "So, partners?"

"Well, I don't see why not." He said, offering her a hand. As she accepted this and placed her hand in his, Serena was surprised at how hard Ash's hands had become. He had always had such delicate hands that befit an artist, but now his hands were beginning to resemble that of someone who spent half their day in the dirt. And then when they came together, Serena felt as if Ash had gotten bigger. And she knew her mind wasn't playing tricks on her! Her forehead always used to hit his chin when they danced, but now his chin was out of range. He had grown!

Looking up at Ash, Serena couldn't help but study him intently, searching for new details that she had missed. An image of the Ash she had met for the first time two years ago flashed in her mind. He was sixteen, baby faced and pure to a fault. The young man in front of her now had indeed grown up, not just physically, but as a person that aspired to be all that he could be.

Serena felt her chest tighten as she looked down. Even though Ash was younger than her, and in a far less forgiving situation, he was still taking charge of his own life. Serena was the adult between the two of them due to technicalities, but Ash was the one who had grown up.

These Pokemon that he loved so much, they were clearly making him a better person. Ash's growth was phenomenal, and this realization frightened her. Ash was growing up faster than she was, and at the rate he was moving, it wouldn't be long before Pokemon took him to a faraway place.

A place that she couldn't go.

* * *

As the evening turned to night, the dancing waned and conversation became the predominant source of entertainment. The scent of charcoal had long since dissipated now that everyone had eaten their fill, and Lola went up on the porch to announce that dessert would be serviced in the kitchen.

With all of the children present, and Ash, there was quite a bit of commotion as the doorway into the kitchen became cluttered with bodies contesting to get in first. Ultimately, Ash found himself getting booted out of the kitchen as all of the kids were served first. Lola had gone as far as to ask for his age to make her point before she threw him out, promising him that there was plenty to go around. Ash stood out on the porch, leaning on the banister to observe the occasion. The sun had set, and the hanging lights had been turned on to keep the backyard lit for everyone.

Shauna, Miette, and Brock were still dancing, going over the steps for Shauna's routine together to pass time until they could be served. Valerie was chatting quietly with Trevor and Tierno, and Spritzee was mounted on Tierno's shoulder as she listened intently to their conversation. And Serena was…coming up onto the porch with Pikachu, who climbed up onto the banister.

"Pika-pi?" Pikachu asked him, and Ash raised a hand to pat Pikachu on the head.

"I'm fine Pikachu," He replied before leering into the kitchen. "Lola made some of her special cheesecake and I wanted you to try it. I'm hoping those little monsters in there don't get all of it before I get you a slice."

"Pi?" Pikachu questioned, scratching at the back of his head.

"You've never had cheesecake before, but I'm telling you, Lola makes the _best_ cheesecake out there." Ash explained to his partner.

"He's not kidding Pikachu. It's to die for." Serena added, and Ash gave a nod of agreement. Pikachu merely tilted his head and decided to trust Ash's word on the matter. A few minutes later, the last of the kids came out with their dessert plates, praising the ice cream and cake they had received. Lola then came up to the back door and called in everyone else, and of course, Ash and Pikachu were first in line.

Lola and Flint stood together at the kitchen table, ready to dish out an array of sumptuous sweets for everyone. Approaching them with their plate, Ash and Pikachu looked up and down the table hungrily.

"So, what am I getting you, Ash?" Lola asked him, smiling faintly at the matching expressions of Ash and Pikachu.

"Oh uh…hold on," Ash said to her, realizing that in the past few hours he had failed to properly introduce Pikachu to Brock's parents. They had been kind enough to allow Pikachu into their household, so Ash owed them at least this much. "Lola, Flint, I don't think I've introduced Pikachu to you guys yet. Pikachu, this is Lola and Flint, their Brock's parents."

"Pika!" Pikachu declared, throwing a little salute toward them.

"I've been watching this little guy. He's been running around with Billy and Tilly all night." Flint commented with a grin. "It's not easy keeping those two entertained."

Pikachu laughed at this. He had actually enjoyed how much energy the two of them had. Macy and Casey weren't quite as playful as the twins, so it was nice for a change of pace.

"I thought I'd have Pikachu try your cheesecake," Ash explained to Lola as she began to cut him a slice. "I was telling him how amazing it is, but he's never had cheesecake before so he doesn't have anything to compare it to."

"Oh really, then I'd like to see your first taste, Pikachu." Lola noted as she took Ash's plate and slid in a fat slice for the two of them. She then gave him a plastic force and smiled, waiting for them to dig in. Ash held the cake close for Pikachu to take a closer look, observing the golden exterior of the cake that was whipped with light caramel topping. Sniffing at it, Pikachu's brightened considerably as he licked his lips.

Ash smirked, knowing that Pikachu was anxious to get a taste now. He cut into the cake with his fork to get a small piece, and raised it for Pikachu to eat.

Cutting into the cake with his fork, Ash took a small piece and raised it. Pikachu took in the mouthful, and all watching couldn't help but snicker as Pikachu furrowed his brow.

"Don't chew Pikachu, it melts in your mouth." Ash said with a snort. After a few moments Pikachu swallowed, and he looked toward Lola with starry eyes.

"Chuuuu! Pika-pi!" Pikachu declared proudly, giving Lola a thumbs up.

"Geez, you make it sound like we don't feed you at home." Ash muttered.

"Well, I'm glad you like it Pikachu." Lola said warmly.

Outside on the porch, Serena and Shauna were watching Ash and Pikachu through the glass door. Pikachu pointed down at the cake, so Ash lifted it closer to his partner who attempted to take a paw-ful of the cake, but he quickly discovered that cheesecake wasn't quite so friendly to touch.

"Not with your paws Pikachu." Ash said to his partner who looked down at his covered paw. Rather than eat it, Pikachu took it and smeared it against Ash's cheek, earning a shout of complaint from him. The small Pokemon only laughed at his expense, but the young ladies watching wore expressions of stoicism.

"By the looks on your face, I almost want to say you two are… _jealous_." A voice noted quietly. Their heads snapped to the side to discover that it was…Valerie. She watched Ash and Pikachu fondly with the kindest of smiles.

"Jealous…? No way." Shauna whispered back.

"Are you telling me you don't want to smear cake on his face?" Valerie asked in return, and Shauna snapped her mouth shut to suppress her response. Her cheeks reddened at the thought. Shauna swallowed her words and pouted, looking away from Ash, but Serena verbalized her thoughts.

"I do. And _I am_ jealous," Serena admitted, her voice low. "I wish I could spend all afternoon with him the way Pikachu does. But…"

Shauna and Valerie each looked at her, and their hearts melted. There was no jealousy nor apathy within Serena's expression, going against her word.

Just acceptance.

Acceptance that her longing for Ash would likely go unanswered.

"But…I don't understand what it is about Pokemon that he loves so much." Serena said softly, and Valerie's expression hardened.

"Is it that you _don't_ understand it…or you don't _want_ to understand it?"

Serena's eyes widened at Valerie's question. It struck home in a manner similar to a statement from Ash during their argument two months ago.

It was a question of her character.

"There's much more to this than I think you understand, Serena," Valerie continued in a low voice. "Don't take anything at face value."

Serena looked toward Valerie, the thought of Valerie's little pink companion coming to mind. Of course, Valerie would take such a stance.

"But what is it?" Serena asked her. "What is it that I don't _want_ to understand?"

"Talk to Ash." Valerie stated, and as if to reinforce her point, Spirtzee came fluttering down onto Valerie's shoulder. She spared them a smile before she went on her way, returning to the yard to converse with Trevor and Tierno.

There was silence between Shauna and Serena as they looked back to Ash. He and Pikachu had since loaded up a new plate with dessert, which they were devouring together. The sight of this caused Serena to heave out a sigh, and she posed her question to Shauna.

"Do you understand it, Shauna?" Serena asked her, and the brunette pursed her lips.

"Sort of." She replied. "I know that Valerie is right in that…there's more to it than I would've thought. Ash and Pikachu worked hard for this," Shauna paused, making a face as she fought with many words to verbalize her thoughts. "…they work hard for something they believe in. And I've learned that when someone is willing to work _the way they do_ , it must be something worthwhile."

Serena looked at her friend cautiously, knowing full well what Shauna would conclude with.

"Valerie is right. Just talk to him."

* * *

At the heart of Lumiose City sat Prism Tower. The already popular attraction had been used as a staging ground for one of the biggest events of the year: the New Year's ball drop. But to reel in an even bigger audience than in past years, _Aria_ would be performing during the celebration.

The audience gave the final countdown as the new year approached, watching as the well-lit ball reached the bottom of the pole atop Prism Tower. It was signal for so much to happen at once. The celebration reached its climax as fireworks ascended to the dark skies, lighting them in a brilliant array of colors. Confetti was tossed from above, showering the audience that toasted the occasion in various ways. A kiss with their significant other, or embracing their friends to welcome them to the new year.

Serena breathed out a sigh as she looked away from her phone screen. She had goosebumps on her arms, and this tingling sensation only intensified as Aria made her grand appearance on the stage in front of Prism Tower.

"Hello, Kalos!" She hollered cheerily, and the audience roared. "Are you ready to get the new year started off right!?"

The audience voiced their desire for a performance from the redhead, and she happily obliged. And what Serena witnessed from there was what she aspired to be. A performer who simply demanded your full attention. Her movements, her voice, everything about her just made you stare at her and only her. It was no wonder she was the Kalos Queen!

"What-cha lookin' at Serena?" A voice caused her head to snap upward, and she found Ash in front of her, leaning over to see what was on her phone. She didn't want any company; she had gone out of her way to take some distance from everyone. But seeing that it was Ash, she would accommodate him.

"I was looking at the ball drop in Kalos." She replied softly, moving over to make some space for him on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"We didn't really get a chance to talk during our dance earlier. It's been a while since I got to sit down and talk with you, so I kinda wanted to catch up," Ash explained once he was seated next to her, and his attention became locked on her phone as he saw Aria on stage. "You said that's the ball drop right? Is it happening right now?"

"No silly, Kalos is like ten hours ahead of us," She pointed out with a laugh. "Have you ever seen a ball drop before?"

"Nope, never been to Kalos." Ash replied casually. This type of celebration was only done there, after all.

"Right, I'm sorry. I've been watching it every year since I left with my mom, so it just feels normal to me." Serena explained as she looked up thoughtfully.

"Oh yeah, how is your mom, by the way? I haven't seen her in ages."

"She's doing fine, you know…" Serena trailed off, lips pursed. "Same as ever, I guess."

Ash gave a snort at her response, recognizing it for what it was worth. He snickered a little, and this demanded her attention as she paused the video.

"What's so funny?" She questioned him with a leer.

"I just think it's funny how you and your mom are always at each other's throats," Ash commented. "It's cool that you guys aren't all…you know, like normal."

Serena made a face at his statement.

"Like normal?" She repeated with a gesture for him to elaborate.

"Well, I'm not doing a great job explaining it," Ash noted with a chuckle, leaning back into the couch. "I'm trying to say that the way you and your mom are around each other feels…like, raw."

" _Raw_?" She exclaimed with a puzzled expression.

"I know this isn't going to sound great, but when I say 'raw' I mean that you guys don't hold anything back," Ash paused for a moment, and his expression brightened as he found the words he wanted. "Like tough love!"

Serena creased her brow as she let this thought settle in her mind. Tough love defined their relationship perfectly. Positive or negative, nothing was left unsaid between Serena and her mother. And this brought a faint smile to Serena's face.

"That _does_ sound like us." She admitted, and Ash nodded.

"Yeah, I was just saying that I think that's nice how open you two are with each other," Ash continued. "It feels real. But anyway, just tell her I said hi."

"Yeah, I'll do that for you." Serena said though she could imagine her mother wouldn't care much for a greeting from Ash. Briefly, they heard the backdoor open, and Ash heard Pikachu give thanks to someone for opening the door for him. Moments later Pikachu came into the living room, though his approached stopped as he saw that Ash was speaking with Serena.

"Pika," He said softly, taking a step back. "Pi-pika."

"It's not a big deal Pikachu," Ash commented before he looked to Serena. "He didn't mean to disturb us, but its no problem, right Serena?"

The question struck a nerve deep in Serena's heart as her gaze was transferred to Pikachu. His timing was… _impeccable_. Just when she thought she might have had some time with Ash to herself, of course, Pikachu would show up. And she could sense what direction the conversation was headed in if Pikachu remained. But as she looked back at Ash and his cheery expression, she pushed all of these thoughts aside.

"Of course not." She stated, donning an expression similar to Ash's. She proceeded the pat the small opening on the couch between herself and Ash as a spot for Pikachu to get comfortable. Pikachu hesitated as he observed them, a weary expression on his face, and Serena spent a moment wondering if Pikachu had somehow read her mind just moments ago.

"Pi. Pika-pika." Pikachu replied, shaking his head.

"Are you sure?" Ash asked him, and Pikachu nodded in reply. "If you say so. I'll open the door for you."

Ash got up from the couch, promising that he would return before he went with Pikachu to open the backdoor for him. Serena watched his back as he left, and Valerie's words earlier rung out in her mind.

 _"Talk to Ash."_

It was such a simple approach, yet Serena was filled with apprehension at the thought of it. Deep down inside of her, there was a part of her that didn't want to have this discussion, for fear of what it would lead to. She and Ash had talked about this in the past; it was the reason they broke up in the first place. If they went down that road again, there was no telling what the collateral damage might be this time.

 _"Is it that you don't understand it…or you don't want to understand it?"_

Serena began to chew on her lower lip. She knew Valerie was right, no matter how much she wanted to deny it.

Serena didn't want to understand Ash's fascination with Pokemon.

Pokemon were the reason she and her mother had left Kalos.

They were the _reason_ her parents broke up.

They were _responsible_ for taking her father's life.

And what Serena feared most was exactly what was taking place in Ash.

Pokemon were going to take him from her.

"Serena?"

She blinked and found Ash seated next to her, concern written all over his face.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked her, and he placed his hand on top of hers.

"Tell me again," She began. "Tell me why you love Pokemon so much?"

Ash furrowed his brow at her sudden question. It was completely different from their last subject, but it was one that he welcomed.

"Well…" Ash paused, using this time to gather his thoughts. Pokemon was something he could talk about for hours with the various types of Pokemon and ways to train them. But explaining why he loved Pokemon was difficult. "I don't know. It's kind of hard to put it into words. Can you tell me what it is you love about dancing?"

Serena had her answer immediately.

"Dancing does a whole lot for me. It's a way to relieve stress from a long day. A creative outlet to express myself and…" Her cheeks became tinged with pink as she went into a confession. "When I dance with someone else, it's a way for me to feel connected with that person."

The last point really struck home with Ash as a smile formed on his face. That was exactly what he was looking for!

" _That's_ why I love Pokemon." He stated. "It's the personal connection or bond that you can form with a Pokemon. Almost like a best friend, but even tighter than that if you know what I mean. Like, Brock is my best friend but Pikachu is… _my brother_."

Serena stared into his eyes, admiring the innocence and purity that filled them. It was such an honest, heartwarming expression, that even as she stared at her fears taking shape, she only could only smile and look away.

She didn't want to understand…but she did.

"I don't know if that made a lot of sense Serena, but um, I do know a way that you can see it for yourself." Ash continued. "Pikachu and I have another match at the Hidden Cove next Saturday. Tierno is coming so you're free to join us if you want to."

There was an ominous sensation about this that made her chest tight. It was like every fiber of her being wanted to reject her offer, but seeing Ash's smile made her go against these inclinations. She silenced her thoughts and opened her mouth.

"Yeah. I'll come."

Ash beamed at her before they heard the backdoor open once again.

"Ash, Serena, it's 11:49!" Trevor called out to them. "We're getting ready for the countdown, don't miss it!"

Serena looked at her phone to confirm the time for herself, and she raised her brow at how quickly midnight had come. Closing the menu on her phone, it returned to the video of the ball drop in Kalos, and a new thought popped into Serena's head.

"You said you've never seen a ball drop before?" She asked, and Ash gave her a nod. "Then how about we fix that one day. In the future, let's go to Kalos and see it together. How does that sound?"

Ash exhaled through his nostrils, and Serena witnessed as the smile on his face changed. It was still a smile, but somehow, someway, she could detect that it was a strained one. A smile he was forcing for her sake. He didn't break eye contact and gave her a small nod.

"It sounds great Serena, I'd like that." He stated in a tone she wasn't familiar with. Held within his short response was evidence of some sort of turmoil as if he was making a promise that he might break. He rose up from the couch and extended a hand toward her to help up. The next time he spoke, his usual liveliness had returned. "Now come on, we don't want to miss the fireworks."

Following him outside, Serena could sense her doubts looming over her. She wasn't going crazy, she knew exactly what she was seeing. The same crash course her father had been on when she was a child that ultimately took his life.

Ash was walking down the _same_ path.

* * *

 _95 years since the Great Crisis_

* * *

 **Sunday, January 1st**

"Three…two…one…welcome to the new year!" The shout filled Brock's backyard, and cheers could be heard from within the adjacent households. With the completion of the countdown, Flint rushed to the panel on the back of his house to shut off the lights in his yard. The entire neighborhood must have followed suit because the darkness intensified. Then a streak of light raced upwards, and it cracked open in a fiery explosion. Exclamations of awe came from the children as the fireworks lit the skies with a rainbow of colors.

Locations all across Vermilion had been selected as sites to launch fireworks, providing the entirety of the metropolis with the ability to witness this spectacle. Ash stood on Brock's porch with Macy in his arms, admiring the display.

"Ashy, look!" Macy shouted as she pointed up to the bright reds that dominated the skies for just mere moments.

"You like it, Macy?" Ash asked her, and she gave him a hearty nod. Ash looked around the yard, his gaze resting on Brock's massive family. Among them, he saw Casey, who seemed to be feeling out of place as she fidgeted beside them. Then, as if she sensed his gaze, Casey turned and looked toward him.

With small gesture using his head, he gave her an invitation to join him and Macy on the porch. She didn't waste any time as she did so, coming up alongside him on the porch where Macy began to point out her favorite colors to her sister. This made Ash smile as he watched them, seeing their faces light up jubilantly in response to what was taking place above them.

"So, Casey, what are your plans for the year?" Ash asked her curiously. They never made eye contact, continuing to observe the occasion.

"I'm going to be stronger," She stated, and Ash raised his brow. "For Macy."

The last few months had been eventful, to say the least. If there had been anything that impressed Ash during this time, it was the resilience of these two girls. It was amazing how strong they had been through all this, especially Casey, who understood what was taking place. She was growing up through it all.

Transferring Macy to the pocket he created with one arm, Ash raised his free arm and placed it around Casey's neck, pulling her close to him.

"You keep doing that," He whispered to her. "And remember, you've got me too."

He only saw her face for a moment thanks to the flash from the latest set of deployed fireworks. It was the kind of smile he didn't receive often from Casey, one filled with total trust, and belief in him. This served as a reminder that no matter how she might treat him at times, she did still view him as her older brother.

"I know." She stated, and Ash smiled gratefully. She latched onto him in a hug, and Ash made a promise to himself.

 _I'm not going to let anything happen to my family. Even if it kills me._

* * *

It was early in the afternoon when Ash, Casey, Macy, and Pikachu returned to their home. Brock's barbeque turned into a sleepover for those invited due to the late hour at which the party finally came to an end. The children had fallen asleep all over the house once their sugar rush had stalled out, and they were gathered into the living room and left to sleep on top of each other on the couches.

Trevor didn't hesitate to take several photos of the kids, many of which Lola had requested a copy of to put in her scrapbook. It was at this point that Trevor became the center of attention as he showed some of the pictures he had taken on his camera. He had captured damn near everything noteworthy that happened during the barbeque if that was possible. From the incredible fireworks display, to impromptu photos of everyone as they associated, Trevor had taken enough pictures to compete with the album a photographer would produce for a wedding.

While everyone was enthralled with images, Trevor took Ash and Brock aside to show them one picture in particular. The focus was Flint and Lola posing together as a couple, but caught in the background was Tierno and Valerie by the grill, and upon closer inspection, they saw that Valerie stood on her toes to give a tomato-faced Tierno a kiss on the cheek. Trevor remarked that there could potentially be a new couple among their circle of friends. While Ash and Brock were astonished, they quickly agreed that they would be rooting for their friends nonetheless.

When morning came, Ash got a chance to witness what a morning in Brock's household looked like. There was an order to everything. Who used the bathroom, who received the first plate at breakfast, who was responsible for kitchen prep and cleanup. All ten of them moved like a well-oiled machine!

When it came time to say good-bye, Macy didn't want to leave after spending nearly an entire day with Billy and Tilly. Ash promised her that they would have another playdate in the future, but for now, they had to get back home.

Now as they stood on the front steps of their home, Casey did them the honor of unlocking the door and throwing it open to enter. As the girls rushed inside to get the air conditioner started, a voice called out to Ash. It came from the adjacent building on the second floor. Mr. Cheeves looked down at Ash with a small smile and tipped his hat to him.

"Welcome to the new year," Mr. Cheeves began. "I'm not going to trouble ya since today is a day to take it easy, but I'll be coming by for the rent later in the week."

"Uh…right," Ash replied, giving the man a nod.

"So, I take it you all went to a little party last night, huh?" Mr. Cheeves inquired

"Mhmm, a friend of mine that lives close by had a barbeque." Ash explained, causing his neighbor to smile fondly.

"My, that sounds like a good time." He remarked.

"It sure was," Ash replied before he heard a shout from Macy inside. "I'm gonna run for now, Mr. Cheeves. Someone has to keep an eye on those two and keep them out of trouble."

Mr. Cheeves laughed softly and gave the young man a wave before he disappeared into his home. Once inside and behind a closed door, Ash gave a deep sigh and leaned back against the door. The surreal celebration of his first victory had finally come to its end. A request for 'rent' acted as a reminder that life goes on.

Taking his phone out, he scrolled through his contacts list to pull up Malcolm Berlitz. Even if it was a wakeup call, Ash remained elated. His victory at the Hidden Cove was more than just his first career victory. This would also be his first payday!

"Casey, watch Macy for me. I have to make a call." Ash declared as he passed the living room. He went to the kitchen where he would have some peace and quiet, calling Malcolm as he did so. Ash raised his phone to his ears, waiting for the dial tone to sound, but it never came. Rather an electronic voice began to speak to him.

"I'm sorry, the number you've called is no longer in service." It declared, and his call was ended.

Ash blinked. It took a few moments for this to register in his mind as he looked at his phone, brow furrowed.

"The heck?" He muttered, and he went on to redial Malcolm's number.

"I'm sorry, the number you've called is no longer in service."

His call was ended a second time, and Ash's mouth was left open in question. _I must be tired still_ , Ash concluded as he shut off his phone. Silently, he hoped that he had misread an old contact, mistaking it for Malcolm and that was the reason why no one was answering. But his fears were realized on his third attempt to call Malcolm Berlitz.

 _"I'm sorry, the number you've called is no longer in service."_

He could feel a panic creeping up his spine and his mind began to race. What was happening? Why wasn't Malcolm answering his phone? There must have been a good reason for this, right?

Ash took in a shaky breath, his mind running wild. He _needed_ this money, _now more than ever!_ He had exhausted everything that had been given to him two months ago. Everything that he had saved from the Red Skulls had been used up.

He had nothing.

Ash called Malcolm again.

 _"I'm sorry, the number you've called is no longer in service."_

"No." Ash began to shake his head. "No, no…this can't be happening. Not now."

He redialed Malcolm again, a prayer in his mind for a miracle to take place.

But his answer remained the same.

He saw the kitchen table, devoid of anything except the small flower arrangement Cassidy had placed on it many months ago. He set his phone down on the counter, and approached the table, taking a hold of the edges. He lifted it an inch or two to test its weight and decided then and there that he would flip this table. He was going to do it…he didn't care!

A laugh from Macy in the living room brought his vision back into focus, and Ash saw that his hands were visibly trembling. No, an outburst was unacceptable. He couldn't show any weakness in front of the girls. They needed to know that was alright. If they saw him panic, everything would unravel.

 _"I'm going to be stronger, for Macy."_

He promised Casey that everything would be alright. His only instruction was for her to watch over her sister. He sucked in another breath of air and stood completely still, and his heartbeat slowed with time.

"It's okay. I'm okay." Ash whispered to himself. He was jumping to baseless conclusions. There had to be someone else tied to Malcolm that could help him out.

Charles…

Ash called Charles Goodshow. The elderly man had told him that Malcolm was one of, if not the biggest sponsor of the underground circuit. Charles must know something about this.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Goodshow, this is Ash Ketchum."

"Oh, I didn't think I'd be hearing from you until Saturday." Charles noted, but Ash cut straight to the chase.

"I'm trying to get in touch with Mr. Berlitz about payment for my match yesterday. But his phone has been deactivated or something like that. Um…do you know anything about this?" Ash asked him hopefully.

"No, I'm not aware of anything Malcolm might have planned." He replied.

"So then, what can I do about the money I earned?" Ash pressed.

"Well after the matches were completed last night, the money is forwarded to each sponsor for them to pay their trainers. As of right now, anything involving your payment is out of my hands." Charles explained, and Ash's heart broke.

"…Wha…What do I do then?" Ash barely managed to form this question, and the sigh he received from Charles made him distraught.

"At this moment Ash, I'm not sure what to tell you. The money goes to Malcolm, it's up to him to pay you now." Charles stated. "I'm sorry Ash. There's nothing left I can say."

There was a beep, and Ash glanced at his phone to see that the call had been ended. He sucked in his lips and tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

Was…Was Malcolm just using him?!

No, it…could it?

But it would explain why he was _conveniently_ gone now.

Ash didn't want to admit. Something wasn't right. The man was a tycoon! What Ash made from one battle must have been chump change in comparison to what he makes. So why?

He needed answers.

* * *

Ash pressed his thumb against the buzzer of the intercom, and he glanced through the gateway that led to the Berlitz Estate. It was a rash decision to come here, and he was being inconsiderate to Brock, whom he had asked to drive him and the girls here. But Ash couldn't shoulder the suspense, it was weighing him down like nothing he had ever felt before.

So, he went straight to the Berlitz Estate to meet with the man himself.

"Good afternoon, how can I help you?" A woman asked him through the intercom.

"Hello, I'm here to meet with Mr. Berlitz." Ash replied.

"And who are you?"

"I'm Ash Ketchum."

"Well Mr. Ketchum," Ash could picture her rolling her eyes as she said this. "Mr. Berlitz has left the region on business."

"Do you know when he'll be back?"

"There was no time table set for this. Something urgent came up and he left earlier this week." She explained.

"I need to get in touch with him, is there any way you could contact him?" Ash inquired, desperately grasping the tiniest sliver of hope that he still had.

"Not until he returns." She answered, dashing away all that Ash had left.

Something snapped inside of him.

"Come on, you're not being serious, are you?" He asked her, his tone now rough.

"Excuse me?"

"You work for this guy, right?" Ash piped up. "How is it that you can't get in touch with him, and you don't know when he's getting back!?"

"Look, young man," She began.

"No, _you look,"_ Ash said vehemently, leaning toward the camera on the intercom. "I want to speak with Malcolm right now!"

"I already told you that's not possible right now." She snapped back at him.

"Does it look like I give a crap!" Ash hollered. "He can't leave me out to dry like this! I did everything he asked me to do! _Every. Last. Thing_! Tell him I want to talk to him! Tell him!"

There was no answer.

"Do you hear me!?" Ash screamed.

The silence persisted.

His eyes began to water as he pinched the bridge of his nose, and he kicked the stone wall.

Brock had parked a little bit farther up the road, playing some music for the girls to listen to in the backseat. Macy went about minding her own business, but Casey had been trying to watch Ash through the rearview mirror. She had watched him speak to the intercom for a while, and it quickly descended to him shouting at the wall.

And finally, it reached a point where Ash fell to his knees, hunched over on the sidewalk.

It was at this moment that Brock's hand impeded her view, and he angled the mirror to prevent her from watching. Casey unstrapped her seatbelt, preparing to look out through the rear window when Brock barked at her.

"Don't look at him." He said sharply, and Casey froze where she was. She had never heard Brock speak so fiercely, even earning Macy's attention. "He doesn't want you to see him like that."

Ash's vision was blurred from the hot tears, the concrete hurt the skin of his forearms as they rested against the sidewalk. All he could ask himself was…

 _What am I going to do?_

* * *

 **A/N**

Welp, this was supposed to be a nice relaxing chapter to follow up on Ash's first victory, but that changed dramatically as I was writing it. This chapter was the perfect opportunity to lay the groundwork for some future plans, some that you'll see in the next chapter, and a few that you won't see for a while including one big one that I pushed right in your face, but you won't get the significance of it for now. Not to worry though, all the pieces will come together in the future.

A big thanks to those of you that reviewed, and of course I have to direct some of your praise to MjrGenMatt.

Originally when I was writing the outline for this chapter, my intention was to have it prepared in time to go up with the New Year for 2019. Obviously, I'm three months late lol, but it's the thought that counts, right guys? xD

Annnnyway, I know in the past I told you guys that there was a lot of stuff I had to establish before I hit the really meaty parts of this story. I'm pleased to announce that I believe it's safe to say that I've finally finished all of the build up. It sounds crazy to say that at the end of chapter _twenty-five_ , but I'm done for the most part. Starting from here on out, its a lot more plot movement rather than development. Don't get me wrong though, there is still quite a bit of stuff that has to be developed, but that won't be for a little while. Things will start to get more hectic, and I can't wait to see what I have in store. This is where I'd do some sort of evil cackle, but I'm terrible at those lol! So we'll just pretend I had some maniacal laughing right here and wrap it up on that note.

See you next time!


	26. Resolute

**Chapter 26**

* * *

Brock and Pikachu shared a glance, and they looked toward Ash who laid on his back, staring up absent-mindedly at the sky above them. The group of three was located on the flat roof of Ash's home, waiting for Ash to speak. He hadn't uttered a word since they left the Berlitz Estate, and Brock couldn't convince himself to go home without knowing what transpired during that brief discussion Ash had at the front gate.

Ash had given him one clue on their way to the Berlitz residence. When Brock asked him why they were going there, Ash softly mentioned that he might _not_ get paid. Brock didn't know what to think at the time and assumed that Ash had gone to the Berlitz Estate to get to the bottom of this.

"Pikachu, how long do you think he's going to be like this?" Brock inquired.

"Pika…Pi," Pikachu stated with a shrug. Brock frowned at the answer. "Chu, pi-pika."

"I just have to wait huh?" Brock asked, and Pikachu nodded. "Why don't you head downstairs and watch the girls for now?"

Pikachu agreed with Brock's suggestion, and sent one last look of concern to Ash before he scampered off into the stairwell that led to the roof.

It was just Ash and Brock now.

Brock approached the edge of the roof and leaned against the low wall. He looked down at the street below, watching the kids play outside with various adults stationed out on the front steps of their homes. Hearing them laugh and scream put him at ease as thoughts of his childhood filled his mind. To Brock's surprise, the cheerful activity of these children did prompt Ash to talk.

"It was so much easier back then." Ash noted, gaining Brock's attention.

"What was?" He questioned.

"Everything. It's all so easy when you're a kid," Ash explained slowly. He sighed before he continued. "You have people there to look after you, make you eat and sleep when you're supposed to. You didn't have any problems back then…"

"Yeah, it was nice, wasn't it?" Brock asked him, sporting a small smile at the thought.

"Sure was," Ash muttered. "Who was the genius that decided everything has to be so hard once you're older?"

"Don't ask me. I wish I knew, though," Brock replied. "I'd love to give him a piece of my mind."

"You and me both," Ash groaned as he sat upright. Brock watched him closely as he hunched over and clapped his palms against his face. "I don't know what to do! Just when it seems like everything is going to work out, it all _falls apart_!"

Brock hesitated, holding onto his response. He sensed that this was only the tip of the iceberg, and Ash just needed to vent for a little while.

"This was supposed to be our big break! We worked our asses off during the last few months to get this far. We were _supposed_ to get the money to pay everyone back, but I shoulda known that was too good to be true! I shoulda known that something was up when someone like Mr. Berlitz agreed to be my sponsor! It was all just a bunch of smoke and mirrors to waste my time!" Ash slapped the surface of the roof repeatedly, until his hands stung, "All I wanted to do was pay everyone back. It's been driving me crazy accepting all of this help you guys, and now I have no way to return it! _Damn it_!"

Ash flopped onto his back, taking a few deep breaths.

"I have nothing. I've spent almost everything you guys gave me trying to keep up with the hospital bill," Ash went on. "Twenty-five thousand dollars. Almost all of it went to the hospital. All I've got is a little something to go shopping for the girls this week, and then that's it. Once that's gone...I don't know what I'm going to do."

"So, it's true? You're not getting paid?" Brock clarified, and Ash scrunched up his face.

"I don't even know." He mumbled in response. "Mr. Berlitz is gone, and no one wants to tell me where he went. It just feels like I'm not _supposed to know_ because he never intended to pay me in the first place."

"Well let's not jump to crazy conclusions yet." Brock said, earning a narrow glance from Ash.

"Crazy? _Everything_ about what I'm doing is crazy!" Ash proclaimed pointedly. "Instead of hanging out with my friends like a normal high school senior, I've been training with Pikachu nonstop to make the money that we need."

Brock furrowed his brow. It was so obvious that Ash had lost sight of everything due to his frustration.

"I thought you were training with Pikachu to become a Pokemon Master?" Brock asked him.

"I am! But…" Ash stopped and his expression softened. What was he trying to accomplish?

He wanted to be a Pokemon Master.

But he also wanted to take care of his family.

Fortunately, both of these could be accomplished as he worked to become a circuit trainer. It was a tough career, but it would provide him with income, and allow him to make steady progress toward the title he dreamed of. But now, he had no money coming his way.

His path became split.

He wanted to keep training.

But he had to find another way to take care of the girls.

Ash heaved out another sigh and scratched at the back of his head.

"I want to keep going, but what should I be doing?" Ash asked honestly, looking toward Brock for an answer.

"I don't know what to tell you here, man." Brock replied with a shrug. They spent a few moments in silence before Brock posed Ash to a question. "Alright Ash, hypothetically speaking here…" Ash gave Brock a questioning glance. "If you had to choose between the girls and Pikachu, who would you pick?"

All the kids screaming, the aimless chatter from his neighbors, all of it went silent.

An ultimatum had been dumped his lap, one that was he was familiar with.

It felt like someone had placed an ancient scale in front of him, and placed his dream on one side, and the people he loves on the other.

 _"If you had to choose between the girls and Pikachu, who would you pick?"_

Why does everyone keep asking him this? What was he expected to say?

That he knew when to abandon his dream in favor of protecting someone he loves? Or that he was ready to throw away everything he cherishes to make his dream a reality?

He had hurt Dawn and Serena already, but…it was becoming clear now that they wouldn't be the only collateral damage of his pursuit.

"I don't know." Ash admitted, and Brock made a face. He wanted to find the right words for Ash, and they came sooner than he had planned on. Valerie came to mind, and the words she had shared with them some time ago.

 _"I've never regretted my choice, no matter how hard things became. Spritzee has been my best friend, someone who has been there for me when I didn't have anyone else…as long as I have Spritzee I know I'll be okay.""_

If anything, that was the model Ash needed to follow.

"Do you remember what Valerie did?" Brock asked him curiously. Ash paused, searching his memory for the answer, and it became obvious with just a little thought.

"She chose Spritzee over her family…" Ash responded, looking down at his open palms. "The thing is…I don't know if I can let go of them."

"I know. Your circumstances aren't the same, but I think there's something else to take away from Valerie," Brock continued. "She said that Spritzee was her pillar, the thing she needed to keep going forward even when it felt hopeless. I think you need to do the same thing and take solace in Pikachu."

"And what about the girls?" Ash asked quietly, his gaze downcast.

"I'm not saying to let go of them. No, I wouldn't tell you to do that," Brock replied as he shook his head, "But you have to focus. I know it doesn't feel like it, but you're making progress. The Hidden Cove didn't work out, but you're a real trainer now. There are other ways to make money and take care of the girls. It won't be the instant payday you need, but it'll help you keep your head above water."

 _"I don't want to do this anymore!"_ Ash wanted to scream this to the heavens. He was tired of it all. Tired of trying to figure out their expenses, tired of leaving early in the morning and coming back late at night. He wanted everything to just go away, to give him a moment of peace. A moment to breathe! But that was too much to ask for.

Everyone expected him to keep moving forward.

No one seemed to understand just how much this drained him.

It was at this point that Brock's mentions of Valerie really started to resonate within Ash. He realized that there was someone who knew what was he was feeling, Brock had named them already.

 _Take solace in Pikachu_.

He was back at square one. No money, no income. All he had was his friends, his sisters…and Pikachu.

* * *

 **Monday, January 2nd**

Pikachu opened one eye upon hearing the door creak. Despite the darkness in the corridor, Pikachu's eye adjusted quickly and he saw that it was Ash heading downstairs in the middle of the night. He sprang up to his feet and scurried after him, reaching his trainer as he began to go down the steps to the ground floor.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, earning his attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up Pikachu." Ash replied as Pikachu followed him down into the kitchen.

"Pi?" Pikachu questioned him.

"It was just a bad dream…a really bad one." Ash explained as he went to the fridge, opening it to get a drink for himself and Pikachu. Seeing that the fridge was rather barren, Ash was reminded of the nightmare he had earlier and groaned. Snatching the carton of milk from the top shelf, Ash shut the fridge and got a bowl to pour some out for Pikachu.

Taking a seat at the table, Ash placed Pikachu's dish down and watched quietly as Pikachu climbed onto the table to partake of his treat. Pikachu slurped up some milk and glanced at Ash who held a Ghastly like expression.

"Piii, Pika?" Pikachu inquired about his dream and Ash blinked, focusing on his friend.

"Yeah, it was awful," Ash responded as he sunk into his seat. Pikachu sat back and made a gesture for him to continue. "Everything was falling apart. I had no money; the girls were being taken away and…I didn't know what to do. I was scared."

Pikachu studied Ash intently as he continued.

"I still don't know what I should do." Ash added, and Pikachu tilted his head. Then he posed a question to Ash that the young man would never forget.

"Pika…Pikapi, Pika-chu?" He inquired.

 _Well…what does your heart say to do?_

Ash sat in a bewildered silence.

There it was again, that question of his priorities.

"I-I love Pokemon. I love battles, _I love all of it to the bottom of my heart…_ but _,_ " He leaned onto the table and placed a hand against his cheek. "I _have_ to take care of the girls."

"Pika…" Pikachu noted, scratching at the back of his head the way Ash would. Ash's sense of obligation toward caring for the girls was impressive in its own right, but it was clear now that it functioned as both a blessing…and a curse.

 _"…the ones that can't give a battle their all…" Volkner shook his head, his lips pursed in an expression of disapproval. "They don't deserve to be trainers."_

 _"You can't come in with that half-hearted effort and think you'll make it." N stated with a stony-faced expression._

Ash exhaled as these thoughts came to the forefront of his mind. He interlocked his fingers together and dug his nails into the back of his knuckles. Pokemon training required a total commitment to find success, and it was evident in the trainers that made this claim. They were the strongest trainers the city had to offer, so they had every right to make statements like these.

They were absolutely right.

A 'half-hearted effort' wouldn't be enough. Not if he wanted to be a Pokemon Master. And it also wouldn't be enough to provide stability for the girls.

He had to choose.

Pokemon…or his sisters.

Ash felt Pikachu touch his forearm, and he found his partner staring up at him.

"What does my heart say…?" Ash repeated, and he separated his hands, using one to carefully caress Pikachu's cheek.

 _"Spritzee has been my best friend, someone who has been there for me when I didn't have anyone else…as long as I have Spritzee I know I'll be okay."_

Valerie's sentiments stuck out for him. She had been through it all, struggled and toiled, but she held on to her greatest friend. And knowing that Spritzee would always be there for her gave her strength. He knew what needed to be done.

"I choose you, Pikachu."

* * *

"Morning." Casey said as she entered the kitchen, finding Ash with his head buried in the fridge to decide what he'd make for breakfast.

"Mornin', is Macy still asleep?" Ash asked her as she got comfortable at the table. Pikachu was perched on the edge, and he approached Casey to greet her cheerily.

"Yup. She's wiped out." Casey replied, and Ash gave a nod of understanding. The last two days had been rather long, not to mention Macy had stayed up well past her usual bedtime on New Year's Eve, so it was no surprise that she was out cold.

"Hmm, okay," Ash noted as he returned to the stove with a pair of eggs in hand. "That'll give us some time to talk."

"Talk?" Casey repeated. "About what?"

Ash didn't answer her as he shifted his focus entirely to preparing their breakfast. In a matter of minutes, he set down a plate of eggs and dry toast in front of his sister and poured her a glass of juice.

Once she was settled and eating, Ash poured himself a glass as well and took a seat beside her. Casey nibbled at her toast, her mind drifting between possible subjects that Ash wanted to talk about. Since he wanted to speak to her while Macy was still asleep, she could only assume that it was a heavier subject.

Perhaps it had to do with the outburst she had witnessed from him yesterday at that mansion. Or maybe he finally got some news concerning Cassidy. She looked toward Ash and saw him staring off at the wall, a faraway look in his eyes.

"Ash?" She said tentatively, and he focused on her. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Uh…I have a question for you, Casey, and I want you to answer it honestly. Don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything, I just need a straight answer from you." He explained, and Casey felt an onset of nervousness. Ash's tone was clear evidence that this was a weighty matter, and Casey gulped.

"Yeah, sure." She replied, and Ash took a few moments before he posed his question.

"Do you trust me?"

Casey blinked, and then without any thought, she gave him the obvious answer.

"Yeah, of course, I do Ash." She stated, but Ash didn't seem to be satisfied with her answer.

"Okay, I'm going to explain something to you, and then I'll ask again," Ash stated, and Casey began to chew on her lower lip, wondering her answer was incorrect. "Things are going to get… _harder_ around here, starting this week."

"Harder?"

"Yeah. We're out of money. I had some money saved up, everyone gave me a little extra to help us along, but now all of its done." Ash revealed to her, and Casey did what she could to maintain a neutral expression.

"So that means…" Casey trailed off, and suddenly Ash's behavior the day before made sense.

He couldn't pay rent.

He couldn't pay for the hospital bills.

It wouldn't be long before there was no food on the table.

"This is the worst-case scenario," Ash continued with a calmness that Casey quickly acknowledged. "I made a deal with a man that if I became a professional Pokemon trainer, he would pay me for winning battles. That deal…didn't work out in the end, so I have nothing now."

"Are you serious?" She exclaimed in a whisper.

"Ye-up," Ash muttered as he wrinkled his nose. "I thought about getting my old job back but," He shook his head because that option wouldn't accomplish anything. "It wouldn't be enough money for us to do anything. It would just be wasted time on my part."

"Well, what can we do then?" Casey asked him, and Ash raised his brow at her.

"I know what I have to do, it's the only option left on the table," Ash explained. "That's why I asked if you trust me. From this point forward, it's an all or nothing gamble. If I mess up, _we lose everything_."

"Why…why is it an all or nothing?" Casey inquired.

"The only way I can make money is winning battles with Pikachu. With the little bit of money I have left, I have to put it all on the line just to get someone to battle me," Ash explained to her. "In street battles, your opponent has to match the amount of money you put in the pool. As long as I win, I'll get back twice as much, and if I keep winning, we should be okay."

Casey stared at him incredulously. It had been nothing but high stakes like this for Ash during the last two months, and so far, he didn't have a single thing to show for it. How could he keep on going like this?

"There's nothing else you can do?" She asked him softly, and Ash shook his head.

"This is the only way," He said with absolute certainty. "So, I'll ask you again, do you trust me?"

Casey didn't even feel the need to look at him. She could hear it in his voice. Through this whole ordeal, she had witnessed her foster brother display strength and courage that she wanted for herself. Ash didn't have to take on the responsibility of taking care of them. He could've informed foster care that Cassidy couldn't take care of them, and they all could've been relocated to a proper living situation.

But that didn't sound like her brother.

His heart was too big to abandon them.

If there was anyone out there that could _will_ them through this whole ordeal, it was Ash Ketchum. There wasn't a doubt in her mind.

"I trust you, Ash."

He beamed at her. This statement provided him with more relief than she would ever know.

* * *

 **Saturday, January 7th**

"I can't believe you!" Giselle barked, causing Ash and Pikachu to wince. She had just arrived at the beach outside of the Hidden Cove stadium, and this was the first time she had seen Ash all week, which was unacceptable as far as she was concerned. "What in the world made you think you could prepare for your second match a couple of hours _before_ it's supposed to happen?!"

"I've been busy." Ash retorted.

" _With what_?" She demanded to know with a deathly whisper.

What followed was a tale of the last week for Ash, how he went unpaid for his first victory in the underground circuit, and what that meant for him going forward. He shared his plan to her, that he would participate in as many street battles as he could to earn money during the week, and then bet all of it on his circuit match this weekend. Ash related how he begged his landlord for extra time on the rent so that he could follow through with his plan.

Giselle had to admit that she was both impressed with Ash and fearful of what could take place. She had seen trainers bet their life on Pokemon, and fall flat on their face. It took total trust in their Pokemon to make a gamble like this, and now she wanted nothing more than to witness his success.

"Alright," Giselle mumbled, folding her arms in front of her chest. "I'll let it slide that you skipped your training this week."

Ash shot a grin at Pikachu.

" _But_ that's only because you made up for it by getting more battle experience," Giselle said pointedly, causing his grin to disappear. "I was thinking that it was time you started to battle other opponents besides me."

"It was frustrating trying to get people to battle me and Pikachu at first," Ash pointed out as he thought back to the first three battles that he participated in Tuesday night. To get into his first battle, Ash had to _double_ the amount of money his opponent had previously battled for to get him to agree to a match. "But it was still a lot of fun!"

"How many battles were you in this week?" Giselle inquired.

"A total eleven," Ash answered, and he couldn't help but grin before he added. "And we won them all."

"I see, so your name should be getting passed around, at least a little bit," Giselle remarked, but Ash only shrugged his shoulders. Giselle pulled out her phone to check the time, and then she looked toward Ash. "Alright, we've got two and a half hours to make a game plan for your opponent, are you ready?"

"Heck yeah, I am!" Ash replied, pumping his fist. "Ain't that right Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, mimicking Ash's action.

* * *

Match 2 – 'Blitz' vs 'Quest.' 868/50.

Giselle raised her brow at the sight of the odds posted next to Ash's match. She looked up in thought, unable to recall if she had ever seen odds worse than these. But it didn't take her much time to realize why this was so.

Jordan _'Blitz'_ McCormick, was currently undefeated in the circuit with six wins under his belt. Compared to 'Island Pete' who had a negative winning rate, 'Blitz' was a superstar. It was like night and day between Ash's first two opponents. Of course, the betting odds would get significantly worse. Ash was facing someone who _belonged_ in the underground circuit this time.

'Blitz' was a twenty-two-year-old trainer from Violet City, Johto. He featured a Ledian as his partner, and after seeing some footage of him, it was clear to Giselle that he could hold his own against most trainers. He wouldn't be a pushover like 'Island Pete.' Ash mentioned to her that he had watched 'Blitz' the very first time he visited the Hidden Cove, though he couldn't remember most of the battle.

They didn't have much time to work with, so Giselle opted for a plan that matched everything Ash had been doing for the past few months.

An all or nothing gamble.

"We're going to target one move." Giselle stated, causing the duo of Ash and Pikachu to look at her curiously.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked her in return.

"It's a strategy I use when I didn't have a lot of prep time for an opponent," She began. "You're looking for a habit that this trainer has, a move that they tend to fall back on. Your goal is to bait them into using it, and counter it to gain the upper hand."

Ash smirked at the thought, his respect for Giselle rising yet another level. Her mind was truly her most valuable asset! He would've never thought of using a plan like this to make up for a lack of pre-planning.

"So, what am are we going to target?" Ash asked, and Giselle donned a smirk of her own.

"His Ledian knows Agility, so he must be pretty fast," She noted before she sent a wink at Pikachu. "Why don't you show him what real speed is like?"

Ash glanced at Pikachu, and the plan began to unfold right in front of him. Misdirection was the basis for their style. They could pretend Pikachu is slower than he actually is…and then _surprise_ _them_!

"Oh, hohoho." Ash wore an almost devilish grin as he rubbed his hands together. It was a simple plan, but he had always wanted to try and outwit his opponent. He couldn't wait to see this plan in action.

"Alright Pikachu, now we know what we have to do. Are you ready to win our second match?" Ash asked his partner, and Pikachu responded with a firm nod.

 _Let's do it!_

* * *

"Whooo, this place is huge!" Tierno exclaimed as he entered the stands of the Hidden Cove stadium alongside Brock and Serena. Tierno whistled at the sight of it all; the blinding lights, the thousands of fans. It was easy to get drawn into the atmosphere.

Serena nervously trailed her friends as Brock led them to their seats. They were in the front row, as close to the action as you could get, but Serena wasn't too fond of it. She could hardly believe that she had agreed to come to this in the first place, but when she thought of Ash's expression, she knew why she was here.

She came here to make up her mind, and hopefully, this battle would show her what she needed to see.

"So, Ash and Pikachu are really going to battle in front of all these people?" Tierno marveled at the audience as the stands were filled to capacity.

"Yup." Brock responded.

"Does he get nervous or anything? I mean this is a lot of people." Tierno added, and Brock grinned at him.

"I do that for him," Brock pointed out, almost proudly. "He just goes out there and puts on a show for everyone."

Serena fought to keep her focus on their discussion in the off chance they wanted input from her, but her thoughts veered back to some old memories. It was no surprise to her that she drifted back to these thoughts; Ash would always do to this to her, albeit unknowingly. She shook her head and focused on Brock and Tierno once again. They were looking past her, and Serena turned to do the same. Approaching them was a stunning young woman, and Serena quickly glanced at Brock in expectation for one of his pickup lines.

"Hey Giselle," Brock said with a wave, gesturing to the empty seat beside him. Serena stared at him, mouth ajar as this 'Giselle' took a seat beside him, earning no reaction from him whatsoever.

"So, who's this, Brock?" Tierno inquired as he extended a hand toward Giselle.

"This is-" Brock began, but Giselle cut him off.

"I can introduce myself," She interjected, and then she greeted Tierno. "I'm Giselle. I train with Ash and Pikachu during the week, so they gave me a ticket to come to see them this time."

"Oh, so you're a trainer too," Tierno noted and she nodded. "Have you ever battled here?"

"No, I'm not interested in the Hidden Cove right now," She replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"How come?" Tierno asked.

As Giselle began to answer his question, Serena did her best not to gawk at the young woman. She was very attractive, and Ash spent ample time with her almost every day, training their Pokemon. Serena could picture them sweating under the late afternoon sun, and when it was finally time for a break the two of them would find shelter beneath the shade of a tree, sipping from the _same_ water bottle.

Serena's cheeks reddened and she shook her head furiously, gaining everyone's attention.

"Are you okay Serena?" Tierno asked her, and her whole face grew hot.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" She exclaimed, turning away from the group to hide her face.

"By the way, this is Serena," Brock said since Serena had yet to introduce herself.

Giselle leaned over to shake hands with Serena, although the brunette refused to make eye contact to conceal her blush.

"Are you okay Serena?" Tierno asked in response to her strange behavior.

"I'm okay!" She insisted, and Tierno made a face but left it at that.

"How was Ash doing?" Brock asked Giselle, and she glanced at him.

"You know, you worry about him so much that if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were his mother," Giselle commented and Tierno stifled a laugh. Brock pursed his lips and looked at her expectantly. "He's doing fine. You should know better than anyone, except maybe Pikachu."

"I'm just checking. I know he has a lot riding on this match." Brock replied. Giselle gave a thoughtful nod since she knew Ash had put all of his money on this one battle. This was his sink or swim, although even if he won, this was just to stay afloat.

"He's going to do great, there's not much else we can do for him besides cheer him on." Giselle pointed out, and Serena finally found the nerve to take a glance at Giselle.

That statement struck a nerve because…that was what she feared most.

A life where she could only watch Ash from a distance.

But, per Ash's request, she would do that _just for tonight_.

* * *

"Alright ladies and gentleman, we're moving on to the second match of the night!" The MC declared. "So, let's get our two participants out here. Battling in the blue box tonight is a fresh face, only his second match here so give a big cheer for ' _Quest_!'"

Serena felt her heart leap into her throat the sight of Ash running onto the battlefield with Pikachu mounted on his shoulder. Unlike the two trainers from the previous match, Ash didn't wave to the audience at all as he entered his box. His focus was solely on the battlefield.

"And now for his opponent, we've got a young hotshot with an undefeated record, show some love for ' _Blitz_!'" The MC hollered, and Ash's opponent stepped out of the opposite tunnel, one arm raised as an appeal to the audience. The crowd roared for him, and both Tierno and Serena were shocked that the crowd responded to him so readily. "I'll hand things over to the referee from here, enjoy the show folks!"

"Let's go, Ash!" Tierno stood up and hollered, waving his arms in an attempt to get Ash's attention. His gesture went unnoticed, as Ash was called to the center of the field by the referee, along with his opponent.

The referee quickly went through the rules and regulations, and the trainers shook hands. They returned to their boxes and the referee made one last check.

"Trainers, your Pokemon." The ref stated with a gesture toward the field. Ash nodded toward Pikachu, and his partner jumped down to the field to take his position. Pikachu stamped his front paws twice, eager for his opponent to join him on the field. Jordan raised his brow at Pikachu's enthusiasm, and hurled his Pokeball into the air where it split, releasing his Pokemon.

Ledian landed on the ground, shaking his head a bit before his eyes became locked on Pikachu. He raised each of his four hands with a shout for battle and looked toward the referee for the signal to begin.

"Let the contest begin!" He hollered, swinging a flag upward.

"Ledian, let's start off with your Comet Punch!" Jordan commanded, and Ledian raised his wings, lifting off from the field. With astonishing speed, he zipped across the battleground, and Pikachu glanced back at Ash for a split second. During this brief pause in time, Ash and Pikachu shared a mutual nod as they exchanged their game plan one more time.

 _Slow down a little._

Pikachu looked back toward Ledian and tensed his limbs in anticipation for the attack. As he observed the beginning of Ledian's assault, Ash wondered what it was like to command four arms simultaneously. Pikachu skipped backward, performing a few acrobatics in an effort to keep some distance from Ledian, but his attacker was relentless. Not to mention Ledian was clearly a master of aerial mobility as well. The instant Pikachu created some space for them, Ledian would close the gap and unleash a torrent of blows.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed after taking a glancing blow to his side. It was enough to freeze his movements for a moment, and Ledian capitalized on this. Pikachu was struck five times, the final blow sending him skidding back toward Ash.

Jordan smirked at this as he pumped his fist. They had the advantage in speed, and that alone would secure their victory.

"Let's really lay it on them now Ledian! Mach Punch!" Jordan declared energetically. Ledian's wings began became a blur as his speed was heightened to a point for the attack. He burst forward, slicing through the air toward Pikachu with two of his hands cocked back.

Pikachu ate a dual punch to the face, that sent him tumbling across the field. Using the momentum, Pikachu began to roll and set himself back on his feet just in time to meet with another Mach Punch from Ledian who began to chain these attacks together, beating away at Pikachu.

"Ash, what are you doing?!" Brock screamed, leaning over the banister in front of the stands. Giselle and Tierno grabbed Brock by the back of his shirt to prevent him from falling over onto the field.

"Brock, relax a bit, the battle is just getting started." Giselle hissed at him. She glanced at the other members of the audience around them as they stared at Brock's outburst.

Being forcibly returned to his seat, Brock aimed a narrow glare at Giselle that was filled with skepticism. Giselle had said one too many times that Ash and Pikachu wouldn't have any trouble battling the trainers at the bottom of the circuit rankings, yet this Ledian seemed to outclass Pikachu in his strongest category. Brock concluded that either Ash was following a thinly veiled plan, or 'Blitz' was another hotshot trainer in the making.

"Is Ledian really that fast, or is Pikachu moving really slow?" Brock asked Giselle who immediately shifted her gaze back to the field.

"What are you talking about?" Tierno asked curiously.

"Well?" Brock pressed, but Giselle didn't answer. She folded one leg over the other and made a gesture toward the battlefield. Brock exhaled and returned his gaze to the field where Pikachu could be seen with his teeth visibly grit as he fought to put some distance between himself and Ledian.

"Come on Ledian, let's go!" Jordan shouted as he threw out a punch. Ledian rushed at Pikachu again, his right hands pulled back to give Pikachu a double haymaker that he would remember.

"Double Team!"

Ledian could see Pikachu begin to flicker before he drove his fists into the electric Pokemon, but Ledian phased right through the after-image Pikachu had left behind. Jordan raised his brow, glad to see that Pikachu could still turn it up a notch. The battle wouldn't be interesting if Pikachu couldn't hold his own against Ledian's speed.

"Ledian, use your Agility and chase Pikachu down with Mach Punch!" Jordan ordered as he saw five after-images of Pikachu appear on the field. Ledian gave a shout as his wings became a blur, vibrating faster than the eye could see. With his speed now at its apex, Ledian went on the hunt. As a red blur, Ledian darted across the field, covering the distance from one after-image to the next at an astonishing pace.

Brock's eyes widened as he saw that Ledian was actually eliminating Pikachu's after-images faster than he could make them. It was only a matter of time before Ledian landed an attack that would shatter Double Team, and with all the momentum he was moving with, it was sure to be a _bone-shattering blow_.

"Pika!" Pikachu said as he leaped away from Ledian, his last after-image now nothing more than an _after_ -thought. Ledian tracked down where Pikachu had moved to, and turned to close the gap between them for what might be the final time. Ledian went all in, unleashing a flurry of punches, but Pikachu barely managed to escape.

"Go Ledian!" Jordan said now that he had seen how close Ledian had come. If they caught Pikachu in a high-velocity Mach Punch, they could chain it into Comet Punch and the battle would be over from there. Ledian burst forward again, becoming a blur as he approached Pikachu's latest position, but again Pikachu got away by the skin of his teeth. "Keep going Ledian, you almost have him!"

Ledian took off again, but as he drew close to Pikachu, he caught sight of the faint smile that Pikachu had been wearing all this time. Time slowed as Ledian entered his striking range, even as Pikachu attempted to backpedal to stay away. Ledian didn't let this opportunity pass as he lashed out with a number of blows at his opponent, but he whiffed on every single one.

How was this possible? Ledian didn't have any trouble getting close, so how was Pikachu still able to dodge his attacks with such ease? All his attacks had been landing earlier in the battle, and yet the combination of Agility and Mach Punch couldn't keep up with Pikachu.

"I knew it!" Brock exclaimed as he turned to Giselle. "Pikachu was moving slowly on purpose!"

"Bout' time you caught on." Giselle noted.

Brock couldn't believe that it took him this long to notice. This was something that he had taught Ash and Pikachu – how to accelerate and decelerate. Pikachu had been dictating what hits he would take right from the beginning of the battle, and Ledian played right into this. Even as Ledian raised his speed to its highest point, Pikachu had never lost control of the battle.

"Holy crap," Brock muttered in a whisper. Ash had beaten 'Island Pete' easily, but Brock could hardly believe Ash was _this much better_ than these trainers. No wonder Giselle pushed him to challenge Brawly, Ash could've pulled it off. Brock beamed as he jumped to his feet, pumping his fist for Ash. "Go, Ash, let em' have it!"

Down on the field, Ash smirked as he readjusted his hat. A sense of dread fell over Jordan as the reality of this battle set in.

He could see it now as Ledian failed to strike Pikachu yet again. Pikachu wasn't the one struggling all this time, it had always been Ledian. Even at his highest speed, Ledian couldn't land a clean attack on Pikachu. They were outmatched.

Ash felt his chest swell now that he had seen everything needed. Jordan fell for their little ploy, and everything went according to plan. They had forced out Ledian's top speed which provided Ash with time to make a comparison to Pikachu's speed. The evidence was clear. Pikachu was far faster.

"Alright Pikachu, it's our turn to attack." Ash stated, and Jordan felt a chill run down his spine.

This whole time he thought that he had Ash and Pikachu backed into a corner, pressuring them to the point where they could only defend. If they had merely been searching for the best opportunity to initiate their offense, then Jordan knew that this battle would quickly take a turn for the worse.

"Ledian, keep your distance!" Jordan ordered preemptively, and Ledian halted his attack. He looked upward and raced into the air, but Pikachu expected as much and met him halfway. Ledian gasped as he was greeted by Pikachu's tail which sent him back down to the field. Despite the unexpected attack, Ledian recovered quick enough to avoid crashing into the ground, and he rushed off to stay away from Pikachu.

As Ledian zipped across the field, he saw a sight that filled him with respect for his opponent, and fear for what he was about to face. Pikachu was running alongside him on his hind legs...and he was _backpedaling_! They shared a glance, and Pikachu smiled faintly before he turned forward, and Ledian's eyes widened as Pikachu went on to demonstrate his own Agility.

Ledian was struck six times in a fraction of a second, the blows leaving him stunned in place. Jordan was in awe as he watched Pikachu sprint around the field; his eyes could barely track the movements of the small Pokemon. When he had watched the footage of Ash and Pikachu's first match, Jordan concluded that Pikachu's top speed was something that could only be used in short bursts. But Pikachu's endurance was well developed.

His highest speed was something that could be used _throughout_ a battle!

Jordan looked across the field at Ash, and he saw him take the visor of his cap and turn it backward, beaming as he did so. Ash pumped his fist and gave his first command of the battle with such an earnest form of excitement that Jordan couldn't help but smile.

"Let's go Pikachu! Use Quick Attack!"

Jordan couldn't help but feel foolish. He had been one of many trainers to request a match with Ash based on the testimony Brawly had given concerning Ash's ability as a trainer. It was a poor choice in hindsight of it all. Not because he had just been thrashed by Ash…but because he had become an opportunist. His focus during this battle was to obtain an easy win and a significant payout. He didn't even prepare for his battle with Ash, or view him as a threat. Jordan should've known better than that! He had been the underdog on more than one occasions since he debuted in the circuit. He…He had forgotten the spirit of Pokemon battles for this contest.

If he had prepared in advance, and focused on Ledian like he was supposed to, he would've seen through Ash's plan to disguise Pikachu's true speed sooner. With a glance at Ash, Jordan knew that he had been focused solely on his Pikachu throughout this match, and he had absolute trust in his partner's ability to avoid any significant damage and follow through with their plan.

"Ledian, get as high as you can! Pikachu can't reach you in the air!" Jordan exclaimed, pointing toward the open space above the field. Ledian nodded, and surged up into the air but once again, Pikachu impeded his path to the free space, and slammed him back down to the field. "Geez, man!"

Thankfully, Jordan did get a piece of information out of that short exchange, and it explained how Pikachu could get so high into the air. He was using his tail as a catapult to reach some truly astonishing heights, getting in the air wasn't going to be easy as it should've been for Ledian.

"Leee!" Ledian was struck three more times by Pikachu's Quick Attack, and Jordan knew that staying on the ground was out the question.

They only had one option left.

Ledian grunted as he got back onto his feet, sending a nod of acknowledgment toward Pikachu. Jordan did the same for Ash, causing the young trainer to put on a cheeky grin. Ash and Pikachu had demanded their respect, and their opponents knew now that this duo was deserving of it.

However, Jordan had no intention of rolling over for Ash.

Jordan exhaled, and Ledian mirrored the actions of his trainer. There was an exchange of words between them, and a brief nod marked the end of their discussion as they agreed on the plan.

"Ledian, get in the air again, with Supersonic!" Jordan commanded, and Ash raised his brow at the call for this attack. Was this something new that they had added to their arsenal? Ledian spread his wings, and he silently shut up into the air.

Ash eyed Ledian curiously, unable to detect anything with his eyes that was out of the ordinary. So, he nodded, and Pikachu moved to intercept Ledian's course. Pikachu launched himself using his tail, and he greeted Ledian in the air where he spun to land another tail strike. As the two Pokemon grew close, Pikachu was hit by a sudden dizziness that hampered his attempt to strike down Ledian who caught Pikachu and hurled him down to the field.

"Pi-pika!" Pikachu groaned after his impact with the field. The vertigo he was experiencing left him unable to reorient himself in the air, and his landing was much harder than it needed to be.

Up in the stands, Giselle straightened up in her seat. Supersonic was unexpected, and clearly something that Ledian had just learned. With enough practice Ledian _should have_ been able to launch this sound-based attack at Pikachu, inflicting a powerful vertigo that could immobilize him. But Ledian hadn't reached this point yet, only being able to produce these sound waves with an area of effect around himself. Of course, this still proved to be valuable, since Pikachu needed to get close in order to land any attacks.

"How are you going to deal with this, Ash?" Giselle asked herself softly.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" Ash asked his Pokemon as Pikachu got back onto his feet, wobbling slightly.

"Pika!" Pikachu called in return, shaking off the dizziness.

"What happened up there?"

Pikachu tapped at his ears, and this gesture seemed to silence the audience as Ash looked up at Ledian. That faint buzzing that he heard from Ledian's wings throughout the battle…it was gone now.

"So Supersonic is some kind of sound attack…" Ash noted as he stared up at Ledian. "Are you affected by it down here?"

Pikachu shook his head.

"So, then it's like some sort of defense," Ash concluded as he studied Ledian. It was a great way to deny Pikachu's close-range combat, not to mention Ledian was well beyond Pikachu's reach now. But Ash and Pikachu did have a long-range option. "Well if they don't want us to get close, we'll take them out a different way Pikachu! Use Charge!"

"Pika, pika, pika!" Pikachu cried out as his body became cloaked in an electrical field. It was as if Pikachu had been struck by lightning, and Jordan knew what was going to follow.

"Get ready to dodge Ledian!" He called out, and Ledian nodded as the electrical field around Pikachu dissipated. Pikachu wore a giddy smile as his cheeks crackled.

"Thunderbolt!"

Many people in the audience shielded their eyes as the field flashed yellow. The bolt of lightning pierced through the air, exiting the open stadium where it crashed into the ceiling of the cave, shattering a portion of it. Rocks of all different shapes and sizes came plummeting down onto the field. Ledian had barely managed to avoid the attack, and Ash knew with just one attempt that Pikachu wouldn't be able to land a Thunderbolt from this distance. But a new pathway had opened up for them.

Whether Pikachu intended to destroy a piece of the ceiling or not, it gave them one opportunity. The falling chunks of rock had taken Ledian's attention as he moved swiftly to avoid being hit, but this would also provide Pikachu with a way to get closer for another Thunderbolt. If they missed again Pikachu would have to use Charge once more, and Jordan would definitely use that time to attack.

"Pikachu, jump on the rocks!" Ash ordered quickly, and Pikachu took off to begin his ascent. He bounded from one rock to another, climbing higher and higher until he was within range of his airborne opponent.

"Ledian, look out!" Jordan barked, but Ledian's focus was split. His efforts to avoid being hit by the rocks forced him to abandon tracking Pikachu's location, and by the time he spotted the electric Pokemon, Pikachu was already poised to unleash another bolt of lightning.

"GO!" Ash shouted. Gasps could be heard throughout the audience at the sight of the two Pokemon over the field, and as Pikachu shouted, they disappeared within another yellow flash. A blackened Ledian came crashing down to the field where he laid motionless. Pikachu landed on his feet, and Ash threw his fist in the air proudly.

"That was awesome, Pikachu!"

There were cheers from the audience in anticipation as the referee stepped onto the field, approaching Ledian. His inspection was brief, and he raised the blue flag.

"Ledian is unable to battle, Pikachu is the victor!" The referee declared, and the cheers intensified tenfold. Serena sat startled in her seat at the fervor with which the audience applauded.

"Yeah!" Brock and Tierno roared as they jumped to their feet. The two turned to face each other and bumped chests, getting caught up in the moment as the energy from the audience reached its peak.

"Oh man, that match was awesome!"

"I remember that kid from last week, he looked even better in this battle."

"Yeah, his Pikachu is no slouch on the field."

"Dude, that Pikachu is so quick. I could barely follow his movements!"

"But the part where his trainer said to jump on the falling rocks, _that was crazy_!"

"Definitely! I can't wait to see their next match!"

Serena creased her forehead at all of the compliments. The fact that thousands of people had gathered tonight for these battles was…confounding. She found it hard to believe that so many people were fans of Pokemon battles, and that they spent good money to come to watch each weekend. But the proof was all around her.

What was it about these battles that these people loved? What was it that Ash loved? The combat? The flashy moves?

Serena looked back to the field where she saw Ash flexing his biceps with Pikachu standing on one of his arms, mimicking his actions.

No, it wasn't that.

Watching Ash battle tonight, she began to understand why he trained constantly with Pikachu. The preparation and practice that he put in wasn't just to entertain the crowd, it was because each and every battle came with its own challenges…and Ash Ketchum wasn't the type of guy to back away from a challenge.

Battling played to his strengths and tested his character, his conviction, his determination. And of course, at the end of it all, Ash was left smiling vibrantly, seemingly sparkling under the stadium lights.

Serena knew without a doubt that this was the place where Ash belonged, and there was nothing she could do about it.

* * *

 _"Oh my, did you see his wings just now?"_

 _"I did."_

 _"They were simply gorgeous."_

 _"…That aside, it won't be long now. Soon he'll begin his ascent."_

* * *

A/N

Oh man, this was a fun chapter from beginning to end, with a few more secrets slipped in. But as I said in my last author's note, there will be more plot movement going forward. I don't want to spoil the next chapter, but I'm really looking forward to posting that one. It should be up within the next two weeks! This is one of those months where I got ahead so I'll be able to update twice for you guys, enjoy!

In reply to some of the questions concerning Ash's team, I understand you all want to see him with more Pokemon, but we're not there yet. I don't want to give out spoilers, but I will say that it'll just be Pikachu for the time being. Pikachu has hardly been developed so far, and I have plans for him in the future so my apologies if you want his team to grow right away. It's not going to happen for the time being. There are plans for him to add more team members, but as I said before, _in the future_.

Also, someone pointed out that there has been a distinct lack of Dawn. Have no fear, she will return in the future. When? Well…that's better left unsaid, but believe me, Dawn will be back.

My thanks goes out to MjrGenMatt and his continued support, and I also send my thanks to those of you who reviewed or gave us a favorite/follow! Don't be shy now, spread some love in my review section, or criticism, whatever your cup of tea is.


	27. Dark Heart

A/N

Apologies for the double post, I think, I updated and somehow it didn't accept the new chapter as far as I can tell.

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

* * *

Once upon a time, Ash Ketchum dreamed of standing beneath the blinding spotlights of an arena, under the gaze of a thousand fans as they cheered wildly for him and Pikachu. With a pinch of his forearm, reality set in…the reality he was really was living his dream!

With a glance around the stadium, Ash had to shield his eyes with the visor of his cap. Many people were on their feet as they applauded his performance.

It was _surreal_.

His dream…a place where Pokemon were not only accepted but _valued, cherished, appreciated_. He was actually here, and it was sweeter than any ice cream he ever had. The cherry on top was approaching him - a fellow trainer.

Jordan 'Blitz' McCormick returned his beaten Ledian to his Pokeball and crossed the field to speak with Ash and Pikachu. His greeting was a handshake, which became a one-armed hug as he pulled Ash into an embrace. Ash relaxed into the hug and returned it, earning a few cheers for the show of sportsmanship.

Jordan and Ash shared a few words before the referee approached them. He informed the two trainers that the next match would be starting soon, and they would have to vacate the field. They complied and went their separate ways.

As Ash left the battlefield, he glanced over his shoulder once more. The question of his priorities surfaced in his mind, and he hardly needed to think about his answer.

With his faithful partner on his shoulder, his trusted cap on his head, and a fire in his heart, Ash knew that this… _felt right_.

This is where he wanted to be.

* * *

"There he is!" Brock exclaimed, clapping his hands together at the sight of Ash entering the main lobby.

"The man of the hour!" Tierno added as he and Brock rushed at Ash. They began to jostle him as they ignored his halfhearted protests, showering him and Pikachu with praise. Serena watched them from a distance, giggling at how childish they were being.

"That was amazing, Ash!" Brock said as Pikachu jumped to his shoulder, his chin raised high. "I didn't forget about you, Pikachu. I saw you out there too!"

"Pi-ka!" Pikachu said proudly.

"Hey, where's Giselle?" Ash inquired, unable to find the final member of their group.

"Uh, we left her at the betting booth actually," Brock replied with a nod toward the opposite corridor. "She made a bet on your match, and now she's using the winnings to bet on the other matches tonight."

Ash pursed his lips with a raised brow. With Giselle's analytical ability, she could dissect every matchup tonight and determine the winner with relative ease. Ash knew, without a doubt, that she would be walking away with a sizeable sum of money tonight.

"And that reminds me, here are your winnings dude!" Brock said cheerily as he dug into his back pocket to retrieve an envelope. He gifted the item to Ash and watched as his friend's expression morphed into that of a giddy child on the first day of summer vacation. Tucked neatly into this envelope was twenty-nine hundred dollars!

"Nice! I can't thank you enough Brock-o!" Ash exclaimed with a grateful smile.

According to the rules and regulations, Ash was not only too young to place bets on these battles but as a trainer, he wasn't allowed to bet on any battle if he was participating that night. Thankfully, Brock volunteered to place Ash's bet, and he contributed a little money of his own as well.

Ash thumbed through the stack of bills he held, and a sigh escaped his lips. Tierno and Brock eyed him closely, spotting the faint smile he wore.

"Feeling pretty good now, huh?" Tierno asked him with a pat on the back.

Ash's smile grew with his sense of relief. He and the girls would survive another week.

"You have no idea."

It was then that Serena joined them, and made a request to speak with Ash privately. As they left the lobby to speak the connecting corridor, Tierno, Brock, and Pikachu refrained from making comments and shared a glance. Serena led Ash into the corridor, just far enough to ensure that their discussion wasn't overhead. She had spent the last several minutes picking her words carefully because…she had to make a confession to Ash.

They stood in silence, backs against the wall. Ash watched Serena intently, and seeing that her gaze was locked to her feet, he took the initiative.

"So, uh, what did you want to talk about, Serena?" Ash asked her, and her head snapped upward.

"I'm sorry," She began sheepishly as she forced a smile for him, "I'm trying to figure out how I should start this…"

"It's no problem, take all the time you need," He replied, but he shot her a grin before adding, "But you don't need to stress over it. I hardly ever say things right with you the first time. Just start talking and we'll work it out as you go."

Serena couldn't help but snort at Ash's sentiment. She really did appreciate his compassion; it would always leave her feeling refreshed. Ash may not have been the best at communicating his thoughts, but he wasn't shy about saying what was on his mind, or making mistakes as he spoke. This openness is what pushed so many people, Serena included, to speak freely with him.

"Yeah, you're right, Ash," She said with a nod. She shook off her qualms, exhaling as she did so, and proceeded forward with the discussion. "You see, I want to give you an apology."

"An apology? For what?" Ash inquired as he tilted his head.

"For… _everything_ ," She noted softly. "It feels like every time we really get to talk, I only pester you about Pokemon and all of that."

"Well, I never really thought of you as a pest, if that helps." Ash said with a chuckle, scratching at his cheek. Serena smiled weakly in reply.

"No, it doesn't," She answered honestly, grasping at the fabric of her shirt. "I haven't been fair to you Ash, in fact… _I've never been fair to you_."

Ash swallowed his response as he observed Serena intently. She was fussing with her shirt, unable to make eye contact, and biting down on her lower lip. He had seen this before – during their breakup. Wherever this conversation was headed, he knew now was his time to remain silent.

"You've always had this dream, and it was something that I didn't understand. Or at least, that's what I told you," She admitted, her gaze downcast. "But the truth is that I've always understood your dream about Pokemon because…my dad had the same one."

Ash creased his forehead at the mention of Serena's father. The man was nonexistent, as far as he knew, so Ash had assumed there was no longer a relationship between them.

"I've told you before, I used to live in Kalos with my parents when they were still together," Serena began, and her fidgeting came to a stop as she retold her tale, "In Kalos, having a Pokemon is like… _almost normal_. My neighbors had Pokemon, and my parents had two of them, actually. My mom had this little bird called Fletchling, and she would wake me up in the morning."

Serena smiled warmly at the thoughts of her early childhood and the routine of being woken up by the small, and often twitchy Pokemon. Her forehead throbbed at the memory of Fletching pecking at her in the mornings, but Serena brushed it away with her fingertips.

"And my dad got this Pokemon one day, she was called a Rhyhorn and," Serena needed a moment to laugh at her first memory of the horned Pokemon. She was only three at the time, so of course, she came to the conclusion that Rhyhorn was only stony in appearance. In an attempt to hug the Pokemon, Serena discovered that her rocky hide was more than just for show. Serena burst into tears after scraping her arms against the rugged exterior of the Pokemon, but Rhyhorn was the first to respond licking at Serena's small wounds to calm her down. "Rhyhorn was…she was just the sweetest thing."

Ash fought to suppress a smile, admiring Serena's tenderness as she spoke about these Pokemon. Clearly, they had forged a deep friendship with Serena in her youth, and there was no better time to get to know a Pokemon.

"We all loved her, and she loved us," Serena went on. "My dad got her because he heard about something called a Rhyhorn race that was starting up at the time. So, he started to practice with her, all day, every day."

Serena finally looked up at Ash, and he straightened up in response. She opened her mouth to make a verbal comparison between Ash and her father. The two of them were so alike that it was almost uncanny.

 _"One day, I'm going to be the greatest to ever…!"_

"I'd never seen him so happy." Serena noted, averting her gaze from Ash's, "And he finally got his big break in Cyllage City. We lived in Vaniville Town at the time, so he had to travel across Kalos to participate in the races. He would be gone for months at a time during racing season, and it was hard for me and my mom to get used to that."

Ash frowned deeply. This story sounded awfully familiar, practically mirroring his father's love for Pokemon and the ensuing journey that he went on.

Serena tilted her head back and heaved out a sigh. Years after these events, this story still took its toll on her. But today, it seemed especially weighty. She took a calming breath and forced her gaze back to Ash.

"Once my dad got in, he got to start practicing with professionals. It was a full-time commitment, so he could only come home during the offseason. He said that with all the extra practice they were getting, they would be winning races in no time." She explained, nodding slowly. "And it was just like he said. They started winning in their second season…"

Serena could remember her gleeful exhilaration when she saw her father and Rhyhorn finish in first place on TV.

 _"Look, mom, he did it! He won, he won!" She leaped for joy as she pointed at their television._

She had never been more proud of her father.

But if she had been more observant that day, she might have noticed that her mother was silent, despite her father's success. Maybe she would've seen that her mother was tugging on the edge of her apron anxiously, and the tightness in her jaw. Perhaps if she had taken note of all of this, she would've realized the questions of her mother's mind, and her unease about what would follow her father's first victory.

"Once he started winning, everything changed. He would be home even less during the offseason, because of promotions and stuff. I hardly saw him after that. He wasn't there when I started kindergarten or first grade," She looked down, "Mom wasn't happy about it…I could tell she missed him a whole lot."

Her father found great success as a Rhyhorn racer. Their life was more comfortable than ever, but even as they lived a more immaculate life, the relationship between them became strained. Her father attempted to temper the situation with gifts. Flower and chocolates came in the mail all the time, but a video call once a week wouldn't suffice for Serena's mother.

Their once playful discussions became filled with questions of when he would find some time to come home, and only broken promises followed. Yet, despite all of this, her father was always smiling. A smile that went from ear to ear because he was following his dream.

"And then we didn't hear from him for a while. He told us that the racer's association or whatever they were called was interested in adding a new Pokemon to these races," Serena went on, and the change in her tone caused Ash frown once again. "It was a Pokemon called Mamoswine. They wanted to use bigger Pokemon to broaden their viewership. My dad was among the first to transition to these Pokemon, and he did alright. He called us to show how big Mamoswine was and…"

Serena shook her head and gulped as she did so. There was a lump in her throat that threatened to snatch her voice away.

"…Then one day, we got a call from his manager. There was a training accident and," Serena shut her eyes and drew in another breath, "He was trampled to death."

The funeral arrangements happened quickly. Friends, neighbors, and colleagues came to give their condolences at the viewing, but such expressions did little to comfort her mother. Her heart was broken, though Serena didn't really understand it until Grace was given an opportunity to say her last words.

Serena witnessed her mother's breakdown. Grace didn't hold back anything as she spoke through her sobs, not that her husband could reply. But there was one point that resonated with Serena to this very day, a comment Grace made about her own intuition.

 _"I don't know why I didn't trust what I was feeling…" Grace muttered as she stood alongside the casket, her knuckles turning white as she tightly grasped the edge of the case. "Something about it all never felt right to me. I wish I had spoken up and talked you out of it. You might still be here with me…"_

She blinked back her tears as she raised her head to meet Ash's gaze again.

"I've always understood your dream Ash," She explained, taking a moment to sniffle before she proceeded. "But after what happened to my dad, I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you…I've been selfish all this time because I didn't want you to love Pokemon, I-I didn't want to see anything to you because of them."

"Serena, you haven't been selfish at all." Ash interjected as he reached out toward her. In response, she took a step back and shook her head with her lips sucked in. She wasn't finished yet.

"I've been _horrible_ to you Ash, and you don't even know. I threatened Brock, and then there was that huge fight we had…" She confessed, beginning to choke on her words. "And I came here tonight hoping you would fail…and give up on all of this."

Ash paused, and a frown took shape on his face as he lowered his arm.

"I'm…I'm sorry that I couldn't appreciate what you've been working toward. When I saw you tonight, I realized there's no use fighting it anymore," She hiccupped, holding fistfuls of her shirt. Her head dropped as she proceeded, "You look just like my dad when he was with Rhyhorn…as happy as could be…and I know now that I have no right to try and deny you that. But I…I was so scared of losing you that I was willing to forgo your happiness."

"You can stop right there Serena…" Ash said softly, and he took a step past her. Even with her vision blurred by her tears, she could see Ash's feet shuffle past her as he left, heading back to the main lobby.

Serena could only shut her eyes tightly and lean against the wall, letting a sob escape her lips.

She assumed that if she spoke up, she could attain what her mother had lost. But in the end, she would end up just like her mother.

As much as Serena may have opposed the idea, she did have a lot in common with her mother. They both fell in love with men who loved Pokemon, and both of them had no choice but to watch these men chase their dreams from afar.

Serena wrapped herself in her arms, and her knees gave out beneath her as she slid down to her bottom.

Serena knew that she couldn't settle for this, and she lost Ash as a result.

"Here, Serena."

It was Ash's voice, and she lifted her head in shock. She thought that he had left her for good.

"Wha-Why did you come back, Ash?" She asked as he kneeled down beside her, extending a handful of tissues toward her.

"I went to get you some tissues." He stated as if it were obvious.

She could only start at him, mouth agape.

"But I thought that…you left," Serena couldn't even form a sentence, and Ash furrowed his brow at her.

"What kind of friend would leave you when you're crying?" He asked in return. Serena didn't even know what to say at this point, so she began to dab at her eyes to clean herself up a little. "You're not the first person to take a stab at my dream Serena; almost everyone I know has had a problem with it at some point. But I've never thought any less of those people, and that includes you."

Serena relaxed at the sincerity in his voice.

"We're all going to disagree on something, but there's no need to make a big deal out of it. It's all a part of being human," He reasoned with her as he sat down beside her, offering his shoulder for her to lean against. "I think I owe you an apology for the argument we had. I said some things that were outta line too."

 _"I know you're better than that Serena...You never let people tell you what you should think, so why are you letting them tell you how you should look at me?"_

"Believe me, I don't think it's possible for me to think any less of you, Serena, even though I know it's hard for you to accept what I'm trying to do. It's always bothered me knowing that I have all of the guys worried about me all the time," Ash admitted as he lifted his arm and encircled Serena within it. "I know things didn't work out for your dad, but I can promise you that I'll always be alright Serena. I have the greatest friends in the world backing me, so you've got nothing to worry about. I'm not going to leave you… _that's a promise_."

Unlike the promise they had made to see the ball drop together one day, Ash was certain about this one. Serena glanced up at his face, and she could see it in his eyes. Then he lowered his head to place a kiss on the side of her head. An action to reaffirm his promise.

He wouldn't break it.

Serena relaxed into his embrace and whispered a thanks to him.

The two of them remained in the corridor until Serena had recomposed herself, but just as they were about to rejoin their friends in the lobby, they heard some shouts.

"I said to move it, fat ass!" An unfamiliar voice snapped with ire.

"And who the hell made you queen of the lobby?!" Tierno barked in return.

Ash and Serena looked at each other, and quickly returned to the lobby where they found their friends locked in a stare down with a ginger-haired young man. All of them were unyielding, refusing to give any ground to the other party.

"Look, man, there's a whole room that you can walk through!" Tierno pointed out, motioning to the room around them. They were located near the entrance of the lobby, but the unnamed man continued to insist on walking where Brock, Tierno, and Pikachu stood. His gaze narrowed, and rather than respond to Tierno, he pushed right through him and Brock. Tierno didn't take too kindly to this, so he reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his sleeveless jacket. As Tierno yanked at him, there was a loud pop and suddenly a formless white being was in between them.

Before Tierno could react, his outstretched arm was suddenly in the grasp of a red-furred Pokemon featuring a gaze so sharp that it could cut the newly added tension in the room. Tierno's wrist was bent backward by the sizeable paw of the Pokemon, and a jolt of pain flashed up his arm. Tierno gasped, releasing the trainer as he fell down to one knee.

"Dude, what the hell is your problem!? Call back your Pokemon!" Brock shouted at him, and the escalating altercation now earned the attention of the receptionist in the lobby.

Pikachu jumped to the floor, shouting for the Pokemon to release Tierno. It snarled in response at Pikachu, whose cheeks began to crackle as a warning.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Ash hollered as he and Serena stepped into the path of the trainer, causing him to send a glare in their direction.

"What's it to you?" He asked dismissively.

"You're hurting one of my friends," Ash stated vehemently, sporting a glare of his own as stepped toward the young man. They were face to face with deathly glares. "If anything happens to him, you'll be dealing with me and Pikachu."

"Pika, pi-ka!" Pikachu added, stomping his front paws. The trainer eyed Pikachu for a moment, and then he sneered at them.

"You think that little thing can handle Lycanroc?" He asked incredulously with a few scornful laughs. "It's obvious you have no idea who you're messing with right now."

"No, you have no idea who you're messing with!" Brock proclaimed as he pushed up the sleeve of his shirt.

"Look, this is your last chance," The trainer warned them as he looked toward his Lycanroc. " _Back off_ , before someone gets hurt."

The warning was a cue for Lycanroc, who tightened his grasp on Tierno's wrist. Tierno gave out several pained gasps, and Serena took a tentative step back from the group. Ash was seething, his hands visibly clenched to the point that they were trembling, and a vein bulged from the side of his head.

The trainer looked back toward Ash expectantly, and Ash felt an unmistakable chill as their gaze met. It was as if he was being hit by gale force winds that threatened to sweep him off his feet. How could such… _malice_ come from another person?

"Hold up!" A new voice commanded, and all eyes turned to one of the connecting corridors. Giselle stood in the entrance, and she wasted no time approaching the group. "Do as he says, back off."

"You can't be serious." Ash muttered as he returned his stare to the young man and his Lycanroc.

"I am, just let him go already, we don't want a fight here." Giselle said which caused the trainer to smirk.

"At least one of you has a brain." He commented and gave a nod to his Lycanroc. Tierno was released, and he fell back to his bottom, clutching his wrist.

Ash lowered his head, shielding his eyes with the visor of his cap to spare himself from seeing the smirk on the trainer's face. It took all of his willpower to restrain himself. But before the trainer could leave, two pairs of footsteps echoed through the corridors, and a pair of trainers in uniform entered the lobby accompanied by a pair of Pokemon to get the situation under control.

"Alright, call back your Pokemon. You're all coming with us!" They declared.

* * *

The group of six was taken to the security office and detained with the small holding cell there.

"You again!" The head of the security department exclaimed at the sight of Brock. He could only scratch the back of his neck nervously as he remembered the warning that he had received last week. He had already been apprehended at the Hidden Cove, and somehow, he found a way to end up here again the very next week.

Within a few minutes of their arrival, Charles Goodshow arrived to pass judgment on them.

"Cross, I don't even want to know what happened." Charles stated with a gesture for the young man to stand up. Cross merely shrugged his shoulder as the security officer unlocked the cell, allowing him to leave the room.

Once Cross had left, Charles entered the cell to speak with the group that remained.

"I don't have all of the details concerning this situation, but I know that _you_ ," Charles pointed at Brock, "Have received a warning about your misconduct here already. I don't want to punish your group as a whole, so I'm revoking your tickets for the night. If you wish to see the rest of the battles, you may do so from the main lobby. Just know that the receptionist there will be watching you for any further misbehavior. That will be all.

With that, Charles left them, and the officer made a gesture for them to leave as well.

"I really hope I don't see you in here again, young man." The head of security said to Brock.

"Yeah, me too." He replied weakly before they vacated the room.

Silence set in as the group began their return trip to the lobby where they would hopefully decide what they would do with the rest of their night.

"Cross…I'm pretty sure I've heard that name before." Brock noted out loud to strike up some conversation.

"He's one of the elites of the circuit," Giselle replied, busy with her phone. She had already entered the PokeHub, scanning through it in search of Cross' profile. "Here, you can check him out here."

She gave her phone to Ash, and Brock joined him in reading the information that was available concerning Cross.

Name: Cross

Rank: 19

Title: 'Axel'

Pokemon: Lycanroc

Record: 56 Wins, 1 Loss

"He's been in over fifty matches, how is it that I've barely heard about him?" Brock exclaimed as he looked toward Giselle.

"Cross has been away for a while," She answered. "Most of his matches were from almost a year ago. Going into last spring, he got as high as Rank 6, which gives you the right to challenge any of the Five Kings to a battle."

Giselle had everyone's undivided attention as she provided more depth to the enigma that was Cross.

"He went straight for the top and challenged N, but he got destroyed. That's the one loss on his record," She explained. "After he was beaten, I heard he went off to Alola for some training, and he just recently came back at some point in December. I'm pretty sure he's aiming for a rematch with N."

"No way," Ash mumbled in disbelief. At this stage, Ash still couldn't envision himself battling N, but the fact that Cross wanted to battle N not once, _but twice_ , forced Ash to give him a measure of respect. This respect, however, was short-lived. The image of Lycanroc crushing Tierno's wrist flashed in his mind.

Cross clearly had no intention of stopping his Pokemon, and there was no telling what he might have allowed Lycanroc to do to them if a fight broke out.

Ash couldn't respect a bully.

"Are you alright Tierno?" Ash asked, glancing back at his friend who no longer needed to nurse his wrist.

"Yeah, it only really hurt when that Pokemon was holding my wrist. I'm all good now!" He assured Ash with a grin, but Ash frowned.

"I barely know that guy, but I can't stand him already," Ash muttered as he began to wring his hands. "I mean, what kind of trainer would willingly let their Pokemon hurt somebody?"

"I'll tell you this Ash, he's a pompous _ass_ , that's for sure," Giselle declared as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "But make no mistake, he's a dangerous trainer. For all of the stupid crap he might say or do, he and his Lycanroc are a ruthless combo on the field.

"Who is he going to battle tonight?" Ash asked, looking toward Brock who took out his match schedule.

"Uhh…he's the main event, actually," Brock answered. "He's battling a trainer named Morris, 'the Admiral.'"

"Oh, I've seen Morris battle before, he's a water type specialist." Giselle commented, and Brock gave a nod.

"So, he should have a pretty good shot at taking down that Lycanroc." Brock pointed out, but Giselle wasn't so sure.

"I don't think so. A type advantage doesn't mean all that much against the best trainers." Giselle responded.

"My thoughts exactly." Ash stated as he looked back at Cross' profile picture on his phone. Brock stole a glance at Ash, and he knew the expression on Ash's face. It may have been masked beneath the frown he wore, but his brow was lowered as he studied Cross intently.

He wanted to see Cross and Lycanroc in a battle.

* * *

"Ladies and gentleman! I'd like to welcome you all to tonight's _main event_!" The MC announced, and the stadium lights dimmed. Two spotlights were aimed down at centerfield, and they separated to light each of the entrances to the battlefield. "Let's get straight down to it! In the blue box tonight, this trainer has participated in a grant total of fifty-seven matches, and he only has one loss to show fit, ranked nineteenth in the circuit, ' _Axel_!'"

Cross stepped out from the tunnel, a sneer on his face as the audience gave calls for a good match to conclude the night.

"And in the red box, with a record of sixty-seven wins, and only two losses, currently ranked fifteenth in the circuit, give a big round of applause to the ' _Admiral_!'" The MC roared, and a dark-haired man stepped out from the opposite tunnel with a gesture for the audience to raise their voices.

The two trainers met at the center of the battlefield, shook hands and returned to their boxes.

"Trainers, your Pokemon."

A pair of Pokemon took shape on the field, and they wasted no time to size the other up. Cross' Lycanroc threw his head back and howled, his cry echoing through the stadium. Morris' Floatzel was undeterred by Lycanroc's display and chose to bounce on his toes to build a rhythm for the battle.

The referee raised his flag, and the exhilaration from the audience marked the beginning of the contest.

Neither trainer called for an attack, and the stare down between their Pokemon persisted. Rather than work with the energy of the crowd, both trainers waited for a chilling silence to set in throughout the stadium.

"Hey Cross, I heard you were pretty rusty during your last match," Morris spoke with a smirk, and Cross narrowed his gaze. "We'll do you a favor and give you the first attack."

"I hope you don't regret that. Lycanroc, use Crush Claw!" Cross commanded.

Lycanroc bared his claws in a show of hostility, and then rushed forward to reach his opponent. Without needing a command, Floatzel demonstrated some incredible footwork as he expertly avoided Lycanroc's assault with the smallest of movements. Morris only needed to see this short exchange to know that Lycanroc lacked any sort of forethought to his attacks…he was just _wild_.

"Floatzel, Low Kick!" Morris barked and in the midst of Lycanroc's relentless attack, Floatzel slipped in a blow. He kicked Lycanroc's feet out from under him, and the feral Pokemon hit the ground with a grunt of disdain. From his newfound position on the ground, Lycanroc looked up and saw that Floatzel wore a smirk, one that he was eager to tear from the sea weasel's face.

"Get up Lycanroc!" Cross shouted.

"Double Hit, Floatzel!" Morris called in return. As Lycanroc pushed himself up, he was greeted by Floatzel's tails. One struck his chin and the other followed with a blow to his body that sent him tumbling across the field.

"Lycanroc, get a hold of yourself!" Cross ordered, causing Lycanroc's eyes to snap open. He drove one of his paws into the field to halt his tumble, and he jumped back to his feet as he emitted a low growl, "Now use Crush Claw once more!"

Lycanroc's claws glistened as he rushed off a second time to engage Floatzel. Their second exchange mirrored the first as Floatzel swiftly moved around Lycanroc, ducking and swaying with ease despite the aggression from Lycanroc. Morris used this time to assess the situation, and he sent a questioning glance at Cross.

Floatzel was clearly superior at close range combat. Lycanroc's lack of restraint left him full of openings as he attacked. At first, Morris thought that this was some sort of trap, but he soon came to the conclusion that perhaps Cross really was rusty. After all, Cross had been away from the circuit match environment for quite some time, and it showed. He was just standing there with his hands in his pockets waiting for Lycanroc to land an attack. Morris shrugged, if Cross intended to play right into his hand, then Morris would gladly let him do it.

"Floatzel, give them another Double Hit!"

Floatzel continued his stout defense against the incoming Crush Claw, but as he evaded each blow, he would slam his tail into Lycanroc's body to further irritate the untamed Pokemon. Lycanroc growled angrily after he received another blow to his side, but according to his memory, he had been hit there before which meant…he could trigger this action from Floatzel.

Cross smirked as Lycanroc glared holes into Floatzel, the contempt in his eyes now masking his analytical gaze. Lycanroc lashed out again, a sideswipe followed by an uppercut. Floatzel ducked and spun to dodge these blows, circling around Lycanroc as he did so. From his new position behind Lycanroc, he raised his tails and attacked but his eyes became wide at the result. A clap resounded through the stadium from the impact as Lycanroc caught both of Floatzel's tails with his back turned to his opponent.

In that instant, there were multiple gasps from the crowd, but the battle resumed.

Floatzel's momentary shock was torn from his face as he heard a growl from Lycanroc.

 _Gotcha._

"Lycanroc, Brick Break!" Cross bellowed. Lycanroc acted quickly, keeping one of Floatzel's tails in his grasp as he turned and delivered a fearsome punch to Floatzel's abdomen. The body of the water Pokemon arched from the blow, gasping as he was forcefully contorted. "Now use Crush Claw!"

Floatzel screamed as Lycanroc attacked mercilessly, his claws shredding through Floatzel's skin. The open wounds burned as Floatzel grit his teeth and slapped away Lycanroc's wrist to stop the next attack. Floatzel followed by parrying away the next blow, and he struck Lycanroc with his knee to bring his attack to an end.

"Nice counter Floatzel, now follow up with Low Kick!" Morris commanded, and Floatzel went on the offensive.

"Fight back with Brick Break!"

Morris creased his brow and blinked as he watched his partner. Rather than avoid them as he had done before, Floatzel was standing flat-footed, trading blows. He had lost his rhythm!

Lycanroc winced from the kick to his left thigh, but a flimsy kick was hardly enough to stop him from returning the favor tenfold. He drilled his paw into Floatzel's side and a dull thud echoed from the impact. Within his body, Floatzel was certain he heard something crack and it left him hunched over in pain. Lycanroc seized the opportunity as he stood over Floatzel, raising his arm to deliver an elbow to Floatzel's back.

"Floatzel!" Morris exclaimed as his partner hit the ground with a roar of pain.

"Now use Throat Chop!" Cross called out.

"Floatzel, get out of there with Aqua Jet!" Morris yelled desperately. He couldn't believe that they had fallen into Lycanroc's tempo so easily, and Floatzel had taken a beating to show for it. Lycanroc, on the other hand, wore a smirk as he seemed to be relishing their brawl.

Lycanroc raised his right paw, the limb engulfed in a menacing dark aura, and he kicked Floatzel to flip him over and expose his target. Lycanroc lunged downward, aiming for the jugular, but a torrent of water forced him away. Floatzel was airborne by the time Lycanroc had shaken the water from his face, and the water Pokemon put a great deal of distance between them to waiting for his next set of orders.

Morris eyed Lycanroc cautiously. Even though Floatzel was the more refined of the two when it came to close-quarters combat, Lycanroc was winning the duel. Morris pursed his lips and decided that they would avoid fighting at close range for the time being until he could identify the problem there. Besides, he still had a number of options at his disposal.

"You're the faster Pokemon, Floatzel, let's take advantage of that! Use Rain Dance!" Morris shouted as he pointed to the open roof of the stadium. Floatzel let out a howl of his own, commanding to the weather to do his bidding. Whispers filled the audience at the sight of dark rain clouds forming over the battlefield, and to their astonishment, it began to rain within the Hidden Cove.

"Now get em' with Aqua Jet!"

Cross' eyes widened as Floatzel came crashing into Lycanroc almost instantly. There was a fraction of a second for him to react, lifting his arms to take the brunt of the attack. The collision threw Lycanroc off his feet, and Floatzel pursued with a deluge of water surrounding him.

"Swift Swim…" Cross muttered as he watched Floatzel moving at his top speed.

It was an impressive display, but nothing special. Lycanroc had time to brace himself for each hit, and Cross was more than capable of tracking Floatzel's movements with his eyes. However, Lycanroc was still taking a beating from this combination, and there was nothing to be gained from taking the constant damage. They would have to wait it out.

"Lycanroc, shield yourself with Rock Tomb!" Cross shouted, and Lycanroc obeyed. He drove his paws into the field, which caused the ground to shake. Several large pieces of earth shot out of the ground to establish a tight, almost impenetrable barrier around Lycanroc.

"Holing yourself up isn't going to work against us!" Morris declared as he pointed at Lycanroc's defense. "Break it with Hydro Pump!"

Floatzel came down to the field and opened his mouth to unleash a massive jet of pressurized water toward the Rock Tomb. Under the effects of Rain Dance, Morris was certain that an enhanced Hydro Pump could pierce through the slabs of rock that protected Lycanroc. Thanks to the angle of the attack, Cross was in a position where he could see that Lycanroc's defense was faltering. The pressure from the Hydro Pump weakened the front of the Rock Tomb, and it threatened to crumble away.

"Lycanroc, reinforce it with Stone Edge!" Cross called out, the command coming just in time. As the shield in front of Lycanroc shattered, a blue pillar rose in its place. Unlike the Rock Tomb, the new pillars of earth were reinforced and far more capable of withstanding the power from Floatzel's Hydro Pump.

Morris wrinkled his nose with a frown as the Stone Edge uprooted the remains of the Rock Tomb, sealing off Lycanroc within. They would need even more power if they were going to break through Lycanroc's defense before Rain Dance ended.

"Alright Floatzel, we're digging into our bag of tricks now," Morris said as he crossed his arms in front of him. "I want you to combine Aqua Jet and Razor Wind!"

Cross raised his brow at the command, doubtful of what it could achieve. If a boosted Hydro Pump couldn't break through Stone Edge, he knew there was no chance a combination of two weaker attacks could pull it off.

Floatzel mimicked the stance of his trainer, and the blue fins that were attached to his forearms began to glow white. They grew in length, becoming scythe-like weapons that Floatzel smirked at. Morris raised his hand and glanced at the clouds above the field. He could feel the rain lightening already, which didn't give them much time to work with!

"Go Floatzel!" He barked with a gesture to attack.

Floatzel roared as he became surrounded in a torrent of water, launching himself from the field to attack. Cross kept a straight face as Floatzel raced past the Stone Edge, striking it twice with his Razor Wind before he came to a stop behind it. There was a moment of silence, Cross tilted his head and squinted. Through the Stone Edge, he spotted a sliver of light, and suddenly the rocks fell apart to reveal Lycanroc who was down on one knee grasping his chest. There was a deep wound that had been inflicted by Razor Wind, a cut that had broken through his stony fur.

Such pinpoint accuracy and piercing power were to be admired.

Lycanroc turned to glare at Floatzel, his breathing becoming erratic as his eyes began to glow red. Cross smirked; the battle had turned in his favor, and the situation continued to improve as the clouds over the field dissipated.

"Lycanroc, use Swords Dance."

"Floatzel, we have to win with this attack. Combine Aqua Jet and Razor Wind again!" Morris called out. He could sense Floatzel's unease from Lycanroc's unruly presence. However, if they invested any time to use Rain Dance again, Cross and Lycanroc would surely punish them for that choice. They could only gamble on striking down with their finishing combo while he was unprotected.

As Floatzel began the preparations for his combination, Lycanroc raised his head and howled. Members of the audience flinched from the ear-splitting volume, and Lycanroc then began to go through a series of stances that gave him a bright red aura. The fins of Floatzel's forearms glowed once again as they grew in length, and once he was prepared, Floatzel tightened his stance as water cascaded around him.

"Go Floatzel, end this!" Morris shouted, and his Pokemon surged forward.

"Counter!"

Lycanroc tracked Floatzel perfectly. He didn't fall for the initial feint and reacted accordingly when Floatzel attacked. Lycanroc leaned back just enough for the Razor Wind to graze the tips of his fur, then he struck. He planted his knee into Floatzel's stomach during the instant that the water Pokemon was beside him. The Aqua Jet burst and Lycanroc chopped down onto Floatzel's back to smash his opponent against the field.

"Floatzel!" Morris exclaimed, eyes wide, but Lycanroc was far from finished. Standing over his opponent, Lycanroc placed a foot on Floatzel's back and grabbed his right arm, beginning to bend it backward. Floatzel screamed, feeling the stress on his shoulder build-up to the point where he pounded the field with his free hand desperately. There would be no mercy from Lycanroc, and the pain in Floatzel's shoulder intensified to its peak, and it was followed by a deafening pop. Floatzel's mouth hung open as his right arm fell limply to the field at an angle it shouldn't be able to attain.

"Oh my god."

"Damn, that was brutal."

Whispers raced around the audience at the sight of Lycanroc's volatile actions, but Lycanroc stepped off of Floatzel and turned to raise his arms as an appeal to the audience. Cross stared across the field at Morris, whose mouth was left agape in total shock. Seeing such a pathetic expression from his opponent put a crooked smirk on Cross' face as he savored this moment.

But as the duo celebrated, Floatzel's expression darkened as he forced himself up. Razor Wind was still active on his left arm, and he would strike down Lycanroc during his moment of grandstanding.

Whether it was the sound of the air moving beside him or his finely tuned instincts, but something triggered a frightening reaction in Lycanroc. His eyes snapped to the side to see the attack, and he caught the Razor Wind in one paw which began to shred through his fur. With his remaining paw, he grabbed Floatzel by the throat and leaned over, pinning the water Pokemon against the field. Floatzel gasped violently as he felt the pressure against his windpipe, but Lycanroc was more focused on the Razor Wind he had been holding.

His paw had already been slashed several times over, but the damage wouldn't stop him from tightening his grip on Floatzel's fin. Then he began to pull with no remorse.

Floatzel cried out in agony until his eyes lost focus.

"Forfeit!" Morris screeched as he ran onto the field. "We forfeit!"

The referee raised the blue flag, and Lycanroc stepped away from Floatzel. Morris fell to his knees beside Floatzel, examining the injuries for himself. Floatzel's shoulder had been separated, he was covered in several deep cuts and the blue fin on his left forearm had been forcibly removed.

Morris cast a glare in Lycanroc's direction, but the Pokemon was already walking back toward his trainer.

Cross gave Lycanroc a nod of approval for his victory, and Lycanroc merely tossed the fin he had torn from Floatzel's arm over his shoulder.

* * *

In the main lobby, Ash stood on his feet, his stomach in knots. He placed a hand over his chest, gradually taking in a fistful of his shirt, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged outward from the tightness of his fingers. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.

Such… _cruelty_!

All of his friends, even Giselle, were visibly shaken by the conclusion to the battle.

Where was the showmanship, the competitive spirit? That was nothing but an act of brutality… _completely unacceptable_!

"Th-That is such a load of crap!" Ash proclaimed as he turned to his friends, "How is that guy a circuit trainer?!"

The receptionist eyed Ash wearily, and Serena quickly took notice. She made a gesture for Ash to control his temper, but Ash had already gone over his boiling point.

"That guy has _no business_ being in the circuit! He shouldn't even be allowed to be a trainer!" Ash hollered.

"Hey!" The receptionist said sharply in response to Ash's outburst. "I don't want to have to ask you to leave."

Ash bit down on his lower lip as he shot a glance at the receptionist, his breath short and his hands trembling. A hand was placed on his shoulder, and Ash found that it was Brock who nodded toward the front entrance.

"Come on Ash, let's call it a night." He suggested to avoid any further problems. Ash exhaled and shoved his hands into his pockets. He was the first one out the doors, but his group of friends caught up to his brisk pace as they went down to the beach where the Mantine was waiting.

Ash's second victory in the underground circuit was but an afterthought. The battle between Lycanroc and Floatzel was fresh on his mind, and he continued to replay it. Lycanroc's actions at the end, going as far as to separate Floatzel's shoulder, _and then_ tear the find of his left arm…it gave him chills. How could a Pokemon be so vicious?

Ash began to wring his hands as he recalled the moment he stared in Cross eyes and felt the rancor and hostility that embodied his Pokemon. It wasn't just Lycanroc…Cross was just as savage as his Pokemon. Ash wished that they had just gone home after his match. They would've avoided meeting Cross, and missed his match. Tierno wouldn't have gotten involved with Cross, and Serena….

Ash looked up at the brunette, who was quietly staring out at the horizon beside them.

His stomach dropped and Ash ran a hand through his hair. All of the effort to convince Serena that Pokemon weren't dangerous, that he would be safe as a trainer…wasted in the span of one Pokemon battle.

"Serena?" Ash called to get her attention. "I want you to know that…what you saw in that battle was completely, and totally unacceptable. That guy," Ash shook his head with a dark expression as he thought of Cross, "He's not fit to be a trainer."

"Damn straight." Giselle muttered with a nod of agreement.

"No one has the right to take a trainer's Pokemon, but that guy doesn't deserve to be a trainer. Not when he's willing to let his Lycanroc injure another Pokemon like that. _It's not right_!" Ash stated fiercely. "I don't know if Cross is _allowing_ his Lycanroc to battle like that, or if he's _pushing_ Lycanroc to be so cruel, but I can't tolerate something like that! He's making Pokemon battling look like a sham, like we should lock them in a cage and watch them tear each other apart. That's not what a Pokemon battle is about, not one bit!"

Ash looked at Serena and met her gaze. When she saw his eyes, she finally found the answer to the question she came with tonight. In fact, Ash would say the answer to himself.

"I'm going to set that guy straight, and I promise you guys that, one day, Pokemon _will never_ be used like that." Ash declared, and Serena's shoulders dropped as she smiled faintly.

Ash was absolutely convinced that he could change…everything. The determination that drove him was remarkable, one of the many qualities that appealed to Serena, and it caused her chest to swell. She wanted to see it, the world that Ash would create because it felt like he could make that dream of his…a reality.

"Alright, Ash…" She said. "I'm looking forward to it."

Ash then turned to Tierno.

"And I promise you, that Pikachu and I will kick his ass! Because no hurts my friends and gets away with it!" Ash proclaimed, and Pikachu gave a shout of agreement from Ash's shoulder.

"Just let me know when you're going to throw down with him Ash, I wanna be there to see it myself!" Tierno exclaimed, and they bumped fists.

"So, you've got your sights set on Cross?" Giselle inquired, and the mood among them became subdued.

"I do…but I know he's not someone I should battle right now. He's way better than me and," Ash placed a hand on Pikachu's head, sending a look of concern at his partner, "I'd be worried about Pikachu's safety."

"As you should be. He's easily better than Brawly, so he'd be quite the opponent." Giselle noted. "So, what is it, are you going after him?"

"Well…it's like I said," Ash's gaze sharpened, and Pikachu smirked at his trainer's resilience. "Someone has to set him straight, and if I have to, I'll do it myself."

"Alright then, let's start dissecting him." Giselle suggested, causing Tierno and Serena to share a glance, brows furrowed with concern. Brock took notice of their actions and stifled a laugh.

"Giselle does these review sessions with Ash to study different trainers and help him figure out how to beat them." Brock clarified with a grin.

"Tell me, Ash, what did you notice about Cross and his Lycanroc besides the obvious things you've mentioned already?" Gisele asked and everyone quieted down to hear his answer.

"I don't really want to say it, but they do everything pretty well. Their offense and defense were solid." Ash responded.

"Anything else?"

"Um…you know, his Lycanroc has an almost scary battle sense," Ash commented, scratching at his chin. "There were a couple of moments where I couldn't believe it reacted to an attack."

"Yes, that was one thing I wanted to cover with you. I don't know if you dug around the research papers that have been stored in the PokeHub, but they cover all sorts of subjects," Giselle explained. "There was one essay a researcher published on the latent instincts of all Pokemon, and how in combat, some Pokemon can tap into these instincts to heighten their performance. Lycanroc is an example of one of those Pokemon."

"So, does that mean Pikachu has those instincts too?" Ash asked with a glance at his partner. Pikachu scratched the back of his head with a chuckle.

"According to that researcher, all Pokemon possess these instincts, but not all of them are capable of tapping into it. Pikachu might not ever be able to," Giselle pointed out, and Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"That's okay buddy, you don't need any fancy abilities to beat those guys." Ash said to Pikachu, but Giselle cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Lycanroc does possess another ability though, it's called No Guard." Giselle stated, and Ash made a face.

"Wait, but I saw Lycanroc defend himself plenty of times during the battle." Ash pointed out, causing Giselle to roll her eyes.

"Don't think of it literally. Think of it as a…tempo. What No Guard does, is it draws your opponent into a hitting match. This favors Lycanroc's style of battle because of his grit and toughness," Giselle went on. "That was his plan when he battled N the first time. Cross wanted to drag Zoroark into a mud fight where they would be trading hits to wear them out, but Zoroark crushed them in that type of battle."

"Geez." Ash muttered. Lycanroc seemed to take all of Floatzel's hits pretty well, so he could only imagine how hard N's Zoroark must have hit him.

"If you're going to battle Cross, you cannot, I repeat, _cannot_ get pulled into his tempo. Pikachu isn't the type to take the kind of blows Lycanroc can dish out." Giselle warned them, and Ash agreed. He didn't even want to imagine Pikachu trying to go blow for blow with Lycanroc. "This is where I have to give credit to Morris' Floatzel. His pain tolerance was incredible in that battle, I'm still amazed he didn't faint after everything he had been put through."

Ash gave a nod of respect for what he had seen from Morris' Floatzel, and his mind was made up. He and Pikachu would face Cross and show him the true value of Pokemon battles.

The rest of the trip back to the coast of Vermilion City was spent discussing countermeasures to Cross' battling style. From the moment they arrived on the shore, Giselle called out her Cubone, and even though the sun had set already, Ash and Pikachu pounced at the opportunity for more practice.

Tierno was happy to watch them battle, pretending to be the referee to their battle.

Brock and Serena separated themselves from the group per Serena's request. They went up to the parking lot where they could speak privately with a view of Ash's latest practice session.

"Brock, I need to apologize to you too." She began, and Brock looked at her in bewilderment.

"Why? You haven't done anything to me." He responded, but Serena shook her head as she sat beside him on the hood of his car.

"You're wrong about that. I've known you for a few years now, Brock, but I went as far as to threaten our friendship when you wouldn't tell Ash to stop trying to become a trainer." Serena explained, and Brock scratched at his head, unable to recall the instance Serena was referencing. "It's like I was telling Ash earlier, I have no right to tell him what he can or can't do. And it definitely wasn't right of me to treat you like that. You've been such a great friend since I met you that…I'm really upset with myself for trying to throw that all away."

"Hey, apology accepted Serena." Brock stated, and her eyes became wide with shock.

"But…Brock, I did something terrible to you and Ash. You can't just forgive me." She pointed out.

Yes, I can," He said with a nod, "In fact, I'll bet Ash forgave you already. You don't need some kind of redemption story, you made a mistake, like any other normal person. Do you think I've never thought about telling Ash that he's crazy for trying to become a Pokemon trainer at his age?"

Serena gawked like a Stantler in headlights. So even Brock had doubted Ash's dream at some point?

"And Ash thinks its all crazy too," Brock added with a shrug, "But obviously he's going to stick with it. So, I'm just doing my part as his best friend and supporting him as best I can."

"I don't know how you do it, Brock. I'm so scared of hearing that something happened to him one day and that…I might never see him again." Serena replied as she looked down to the sandy battlefield where Ash and Giselle were at work. She took a moment to adjust her bangs, and then she heard a deep sigh from Brock.

"I worry about him too, Serena," Brock confessed, " _But_ …my dad said this to me when I was younger. ' _If a man is deprived of the dream that he is living for, then his existence has no meaning_.'"

Serena focused on Ash, admiring his broad and vibrant smile as he gave Pikachu another command. She couldn't help but laugh at the truth in Brock's statement.

What would Ash be without his dream?

He wouldn't be Ash…not the Ash that she fell in love with.

"I hate to admit it, Brock," Serena said softly, earning Brock's full attention as she spoke. "I'm starting to believe that Ash was born to be a Pokemon trainer, and there's nothing I can do about it."

* * *

 **A/N**

Phew! This chapter got me hyped for a couple of reasons. Not all of them I can say, but I think obviously reason number one is **Cross**. I'll let you all in on a little secret, he was originally an OC when I was writing the outline for this story because I couldn't find a character in the canon that fit what I needed for this part until I saw the movie 'I Choose You.' There was literally one-line Cross said in the movie that made me pause it, (was watching on Netflix) and say 'THAT'S DANTE!' Dante was the name of the OC I was going to use, but Cross fit the part perfectly, so give him a nice warm welcome to the Wings Universe!

The one thing I think was really missing was a rival who Ash could feasibly compete with. Obviously, he's developing _something_ with N, but Ash never hesitates to say that N is out of his league. Enter Cross, who has a very different style and mindset as opposed to Ash, and suddenly Ash is gunning for one of the best trainers in the circuit! We'll see how this turns out.

Another thing I loved about this chapter was Serena. I binge watched XY/XYZ over the last month and I can say without a doubt that she's grown on me even more now. Once upon a time, I was an Abilityshipper, but Amourshipping has definitely earned a spot on my list now. That aside, Serena has been all over the place in this story because I had a whole bunch of ideas for her, I wanted her to be a static character, but then I wanted to develop her, so on and so forth so she was flip-flopping a lot until we reached this point where we dug into why she's always been challenging Ash's dream. I hope I did a decent job portraying her because I didn't want to take away the strength of her character, but it's still a moment where she's vulnerable. Either way, lemme know what you guys think!

Much respect to MjrGenMatt, he was a tremendous help with this chapter! We basically did this chapter twice because I threw out the first copy lol! That's how hard this guy works to look over the pile crap I give him and turn it into gold!

A big thanks for all of your support, the reviews and messages are really encouraging and I really enjoy talking with you guys! :D Don't be shy if you have questions, I'll keep the spoilers to myself but I'm always happy to talk with any of you.

Leave a review if you'd like, and definitely tune in for the next chapter. Big events are coming up, and I'm sure you guys don't want to miss out on it!

Thanks again everyone, and I'll see you next time!


	28. Ascension

**Chapter 28**

* * *

 **Monday, January 9th**

Ash stood in front of the house adjacent to his own, which belonged to Mr. Cheeves, their landlord. It mirrored his house in almost every aspect. The one exception was the color of the front door, which, unlike theirs, was a bold red with a crescent-shaped steel knocker.

Ash put the device to use, and he heard its sound echo through the elderly man's home. It was about thirty seconds later that the man finally answered the door, a warm smile on his face at the sight of Ash.

"Ash, how nice to see you today." He said cheerily.

"It's good to see you too, Mr. Cheeves." Ash returned his greeting and matched his enthusiasm. They went through the usual formalities, from discussing the stifling weather of early January in Vermilion City to what Mr. Cheeves had read in the paper this morning. After some time, they arrived at the reason for Ash's visit.

"Ah, the rent." He noted, accepting the envelope from Ash. In it was eleven hundred dollars, one month's rent from them, in cash.

"I'm sorry it was late this month, something unexpected came up." Ash apologized, but Mr. Cheeves waved him off.

"My concern is with Cassidy," Mt. Cheeves stated and Ash's nose twitched at the mention of his foster mother. "It's been quite some time since I've seen her. Is everything alright?"

"She's been very sick recently." Ash replied.

"Oh yes, I remember you mentioning that she hasn't been well," He said with a nod. "The curse of getting older huh? Actually…she's still south of forty, right?"

Ash laughed at the way Mr. Cheeves worded his question, as though he had been speaking to Cassidy.

"I've been told not to say that number anymore as of this year," Ash answered slyly as he raised his brow. Mr. Cheeves gave a laugh, but it quickly faded.

"So, is it that serious?" He inquired as the wrinkles in his forehead deepened. Ash took some time to scratch at the back of his head.

"We're hoping for the best, and Cassidy is really strong so I know she'll pull through." Ash replied, and Mr. Cheeves gave a nod.

"Perhaps I could visit sometime to chat with her," Mr. Cheeves offered with a small smile. "I'm sure she could use the company."

"I'm not so sure she's up for that either, Mr. Cheeves," Ash said as he shook his head, and he felt a pang of guilt as Mr. Cheeves lowered his shoulders with a sigh. "But when she is, I'll let you know."

Their conversation came to an end, and Ash bid him a farewell. There was a parting wave, and then Ash returned to his own home.

Pikachu came to greet him at the door, climbing up to his shoulder as Ash went to check on the girls. As always, Shauna was watching them for the afternoon and Ash gave her a nod as he stood in the entrance of the living room. She gave him a smile and then returned her attention to Macy as they read a children's book together. Casey had her eyes locked to her phone screen, likely texting Cindy about their school day.

Seeing that all was well, Ash made his way upstairs with Pikachu in tow, the short conversation with Mr. Cheeves still fresh on his mind. His concern for Cassidy was nagging at Ash's conscious like the buzzing of a Cutiefly. Ash wanted to trust Mr. Cheeves and tell him about Cassidy's actual condition, but he didn't know what kind of opinion his landlord had about Pokemon, or if he would believe in Ash's reliance on Pokemon to pay rent.

Somehow, some way, Cassidy had never been late with their rent. This was only the third month that Ash had taken up the responsibility, and he was late with it. He asked himself how she managed to make it all work with the limited funds she had, but Ash couldn't figure it out. Cassidy was simply…amazing.

Once he was in his bedroom, Ash approached his bed and kneeled down to reach underneath it. Hidden there was his duffle bag that used to hold his most prized possessions - the money and Potions that he received from the Red Skulls. However, the bag didn't carry the weight it once did. All that remained was a small sum of money and just _one_ unused Potion. When he received his supply from the Red Skulls, he had a total of thirty, and in the following months he used up all of them to keep up with Pikachu's constant training. These were the only reason Pikachu could recover from the damage he received on a daily basis.

With the Potion in hand, Ash lifted the bottle to observe the purple liquid held within. Ash wasn't even sure what exactly made up this stuff, he just knew that it did something to accelerate the recovery process. Perhaps the PokeHub could shed some like on what exactly was in a Potion, but that was something to look into at another time. Right now, he had to form a plan.

During the previous week, they participated in a number of street battles all over Vermilion City to earn money. For most trainers, the two or three battles they had each day would be considered a hellish pace, but Ash and Pikachu were desperate to make ends meet. They burned through two Potions that week to complete all of those battles, but now they only had one to last them this week.

"Ah, we're probably going to have to keep the battles to a minimum this week, Pikachu." Ash noted, and his partner nodded.

Fortunately, their earnings this week had no commitments beyond grocery shopping, so he would be able to buy more Potions. According to the PokeHub, there were a few places in and around Vermilion City where Ash could meet with a dealer to obtain these items. But at three hundred dollars a bottle, Ash knew that his funds would evaporate quickly.

He set the Potion back into his duffle bag and then reached in for the money that he had left. It was bound together by a rubber band. Now that he had paid the rent, their utility bills, and gone shopping for the girls, he had one thousand dollars to use in his street battles this week.

If all went well, he could give this money to Brock to make a sizeable wager at the Hidden Cove this weekend.

* * *

 **Wednesday, January 11th**

The Cut. A barbershop located in the west end of the Vermilion City.

Rather than haircuts, this spot was known for the abandoned lot behind the barbershop which was the site for street battles. The barbershop was owned by a trainer who went on to clear the area of debris and rubbish, opening a space for a battlefield. Over the course of many battles, the ground had been pounded flat, closely resembling the battlefield in the Hidden Cove stadium.

According to the PokeHub, this was one of the designated locations for street battles to take place, active on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week.

Among the list of designated locations, this one was well renowned due primarily to the fact that police activity was at its lowest in the west end. With no need to fear the thought of arrest, many trainers and spectators would gather here especially for street battles.

At least a hundred people were present around the perimeter of the lot. There were many trainers present, giving a call of 'got next' in order to face the winner of the battle taking place. The air was filled with excitement as trainers barked out commands, which were followed closely by cheers as the audience witnessed the results of the attacks.

Despite the cheers, the Tangela on the field was having a miserable time. While the crowd was in awe at the yellow blurs that whizzed around the field, Tangela couldn't predict or react to their actions at all, a truly exasperating experience. He had never faced an opponent that was so quick!

"Use Quick Attack, Pikachu!"

Tangela jumped back as two of the blurs crisscrossed in front of him, but in the following instant, he was struck twice. Once on his side, and another right on his face that sent him skidding across the dirt to his trainer. Tangela's trainer stepped onto the field, kneeling down to check on his partner, who timidly got back to his feet. When posed with the question of if he wanted to continue, Tangela shook his body nervously before casting a glance at Pikachu.

The threat of just pure speed was on full display with Pikachu. He had won both of his battles today by forcing his opponents to concede since they couldn't keep up with him. Ash and Pikachu had garnered some attention after winning consecutive battles, Pikachu's speed being the highlight that was drawing in the majority of the audience from the other battlefield.

While Ash collected his payment of fifty dollars from Tangela's trainer, the trainers in the audience began to shout for a turn to battle Ash. Each of them promised to do better than his previous opponents, but one trainer pushed his way through the pack with the help of his Pokemon.

"Let me battle him."

His voice may have gone unheard by the audience, but the fierce howl from his partner, Lycanroc, silenced everyone. Ash and Pikachu turned at the sound, and their gaze narrowed at the sight of the familiar ginger-haired trainer and his Lycanroc.

Cross.

"Check it out, its ' _Axel_!'"

"Another circuit trainer is here!"

"Oh, this just got real!"

All of the trainers that had been demanding a battle with Ash had stepped aside in favor of letting Cross challenge him. Ash's arms became tense at the prospect of battling Cross and his Lycanroc. After their previous meeting the past Saturday, Ash and Pikachu started training with the intention of challenging Cross in the future.

Ash knew that in their current state, he and Pikachu were outclassed across the board by Cross and Lycanroc. What Ash wanted was an opportunity to measure himself against a trainer of Cross' status, but he never imagined he'd get to do it against Cross himself. This would hopefully give him the chance to see what further preparations he could do before he made an official challenge.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Ash declared as his previous opponent left the field. All the shouts about circuit trainers had pulled in the rest of the crowd, who were anxious to see how this battle would unfold. Cross took a moment to observe the audience before he sent a crooked smirk at Ash.

"How about we up the ante?" Cross suggested and Ash creased his brow. "I'll put down _a thousand dollars_."

There were 'ooh's and 'awws' from the crowd. It wasn't often that one saw a street battle with such a hefty sum of money being wagered.

Ash's eyes were wide at the number Cross was ready to commit to.

"A thousand dollars on this battle?" Ash exclaimed which caused Cross to sneer.

"The battle?" He scoffed, "No, I'm betting a thousand dollars that your Pikachu couldn't put _one scratch_ on Lycanroc before he's knocked out."

"Damn, he called him out." An audience member said loudly before covering their mouth sheepishly.

"If your Pikachu can pull that off, the money is yours. If he can't, the money is mine." Cross proclaimed as his Lycanroc stepped forward with a smirk of his own, eager to begin the battle.

"Why so much money?" Ash questioned him.

"What? You think I don't remember you?" Cross asked him sharply. "You and your friends wanted a fight then, didn't you? Here's your chance, take it! All I'm going to do is show you _exactly_ what you're dealing with."

Cross's gaze darkened, and again Ash felt a chilling gust of wind lash against his skin. His pores raised against the blistering winds and Ash tightened his stance.

In his _heart_ , he wanted to battle Cross. He wanted to knock that obnoxious sneer off his face by proving him wrong. Cross was underestimating him and Pikachu, and there was no better scenario to catch him off guard.

But his _mind_ prevailed. He couldn't wager a thousand dollars. While they possessed the element of surprise, Ash still wasn't sure how he and Pikachu stacked up against them. If Cross and Lycanroc surpassed his expectations, which was likely the case, he would've wasted almost all of the money he had to find out something he already knew.

He thought of Pikachu.

Ash had already seen Lycanroc in action, and the brutality that this Pokemon acted with. If they battled, Pikachu was sure to take some significant damage. They would have to use what remained of their last Potion for Pikachu to recover in time for their match this weekend. _That_ was the battle that truly mattered. Not a battle with Cross here with the odds stacked against him.

Then he thought of his sisters.

If he lost this money, he wouldn't have anything to use this weekend at the Hidden Cove. He couldn't afford to throw away his money and leave the girls with nothing to live off of. He had already taken all sorts of risks to get through the last few months, so he couldn't gamble away what little they had left in a seemingly hopeless situation.

"What's the matter?" Cross asked him snidely, nose upturned. "Don't tell me you don't want to battle?"

Ash's knuckles turned white, and he bit hard into his lip to halt his response. Rather, he shook his head silently to decline the battle. The audience didn't waste any time in voicing their displeasure, but Ash simply invited Pikachu to return to his shoulder.

"I see you've got some sense now," Cross commented, and a hush set for everyone to hear him speak. "That Pikachu of yours didn't stand a chance in the first place, _you were right not to trust him_ in a battle with Lycanroc," Ash scowled at him, eyes wide with resentment for Cross, but the young man continued. "Though it would've been a disservice on your part if you were dumb enough to use him."

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu shouted in return, but he quickly found Ash's hand resting on his head as a restraint. Pikachu glanced at his trainer and saw that Ash's anger had been subdued. In its place was a straight face, one that hid away all of Ash's inner feelings.

Ash conceded the field to Cross and turned to leave.

"That's right kid, know your place," Cross called out. "You're five years too early to think you can battle me."

Ash continued on his way, refusing to look back.

They would make Cross eat his own words…perhaps sooner than he was ready for.

* * *

 **Thursday, January 12th**

Of the list of things Casey despised, homework was at the top of the list. She had no incentive to finish it, and if not for the constant badgering she'd get from Cassidy, Ash, and now Shauna, she wouldn't bother with it.

In the kitchen of their home, Ash was busy preparing an afternoon snack for everyone, while Casey was at the kitchen table with Shauna providing some assistance with her homework. Meanwhile, Macy had her nose buried in another children's book as she sat across the table, reading aloud.

"No no, you've got it backwards Casey," Shauna noted with a chuckle. "You put the adjective after the noun."

Casey groaned as she scrubbed at her notebook with an eraser.

"Spanish is so annoying," She muttered. "Why do I have to learn another language in the first place?"

"Do you ever plan on visiting Hoenn?" Shauna asked her, but Casey shrugged her shoulders in reply. "Hoenn is a beautiful place, especially Slateport City! That's where I grew up by the way," She added as an aside, "It's a mix of Spanish, English, and Portuguese there so you gotta know a little of each to live there. Like down at the fish market, one stall might be speaking Spanish, but then the next one you go to the fisherman might only speak Portuguese and then he has to get his wife to translate for him…"

Ash stole a glance over his shoulder and he stifled a laugh as Shauna prattled on about Slateport City, this being a common occurrence according to Casey. Shauna paid no mind to Casey, who studied her pencil intently, perhaps considering sticking it into her neck to escape Shauna's rant.

"…and if there's any mistranslation, you could walk away with eel instead of fish and believe me your grandma isn't going to be happy if you come home with something she doesn't want," Shauna's rant concluded on that note, and she looked back to Casey, who was slumped over in her seat. "What are you doing?"

"Your story was so long that…I died of old age." Casey said, and she slid further down into her seat with a 'bleh.' Shauna shot her a narrow stare, but just as she opened her mouth to make a cutting remark, Macy began to call for her attention.

"Yes, Macy?" Shauna asked as she looked toward the youngest of the girls.

"What's this word?" She inquired, and Shauna jumped up from her seat to see.

"Engine," Shauna answered and Macy thanked her kindly. She then continued along with her reading, rocking side to side in her seat.

Now that Ash had finished setting up a small fruit salad for the girls, Pikachu jumped up onto the kitchen counter to make his request for a portion. Ash rolled his eyes, but selected a large Oran berry for Pikachu and cut in half. Pikachu gave a cheer before he accepted his treat and munched on it noisily. Ash used this opportunity to pat Pikachu's head since tonight was one of the rare occasions where they could sit back with nothing pressing to tend to…or so he thought.

His phone blared and Ash withdrew the device from his pocket.

Charles Goodshow was calling him.

"I'll be right back. Everything is here for you guys when you're ready," Ash said, and his exited the kitchen. As he raised his phone to answer, Ash grinned at the thought of using his title for Charles as he answered his phone with an air of authority. "This is ' _Quest_ ' speaking, how can I help you?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Ash heard Charles snort on the other end.

"Oh my," Charles muttered and Ash could imagine him shaking his head. "How are you doing today, Ash?"

"I can't complain, how about you?" Ash asked in return.

"I'm an old man, I have a lot to complain about. But I'll spare you the stories," Charles noted with a laugh, "I want to apologize because this is on short notice, but the opponent I had set for your battle this weekend withdrew from the match."

"You can do that?" Ash exclaimed.

"Yes, in fact, it happens more often you'd think." Charles said in reply. It took a moment for Ash to run down a mental list of the cause and effect. No opponent meant no match. No match meant no money. No money meant…

"So, does that mean I don't have a match this weekend?" Ash asked, fighting off the sudden tremble in his hands.

"You do," Charles began, and Ash let out a sigh of relief, "I'm calling to let you know that we substituted in the only remaining person that wants to battle you."

"Oh, that's good," Ash muttered but he furrowed his brow in thought, "Wait, 'only one?' I thought there was like ten other people that wanted to battle me."

"You said it right, there _was_ ten other people that requested a match with you," Charles said after a chuckle. "The best of that batch was 'Blitz,' and when you beat him and his Ledian convincingly, all but one of them rescinded their challenges. They want no part of you and Pikachu after what they saw."

"Mmmm!" Ash's exclamation earned a laugh from Charles. "That's right, me and Pikachu are shakin' up the circuit! So, who's our next opponent?"

"Her title is 'Saffron.' She's currently ranked beneath you at 468, but don't underestimate her. She told me she has a little plan to give you and Pikachu a run for your money." Charles said ominously.

"Heh, we'll see about that."

* * *

 **Saturday, January 14th**

Match 2 – 'Quest' vs 'Saffron.' 3/1.

Tiana ' _Saffron_ ' Carli.

Rank: 468

Pokemon: Girafarig

Record: 10 Wins, 7 Losses

Giselle pursed her lips and placed a finger against her cheek. The opponent today hardly compared to Ash's last opponent in 'Blitz,' but Giselle didn't want to count out Tiana just yet. She looked up from her phone to observe the duo of Ash and Pikachu would be facing Tiana in roughly two hours. They were going through some light exercises on the sandy dunes of the Hidden Cove in preparation for their upcoming match.

Ash had shared with her that Charles had told him Tiana had a plan in store for them. Charles wouldn't have gone out of his way to reveal this unless he thought it was noteworthy. Not to mention, Tiana was the most experienced trainer among the group Ash had faced so far at the Hidden Cove. Her record may have screamed 'average,' but clearly, she had won some matches by developing plans and adapting to her opponent. There wasn't a lot of footage of Ash, but Tiana must have seen enough to think of something.

Tiana featured a Girafarig as her partner, and this would be the first psychic type that Ash would face. Girafarig wasn't a pure psychic type, so the threat of being dominated by telekinetic abilities wasn't their biggest concern. In fact, based on some of the footage Giselle had gone through, Girafarig was still just starting to tap into her psychic abilities. So rather than use this underdeveloped ability, they relied upon physical attacks to wear down their opponents.

Such a style wouldn't be very effective against Pikachu and his quickness, which left Giselle to wonder what Tiana had in store for them.

"Hey, Ash!" Giselle called for him and Pikachu to come to sit with her. Once they were all situated together, Giselle moved onto the meat of the conversation. "What's your game plan for this battle?"

"They don't have an answer for Pikachu's speed. We're just going to stick to what we do best." Ash replied and Giselle frowned. It seemed to be the right answer, but Giselle began to chew on her bottom lip as her thoughts gnawed at the back of her mind.

It felt like…the match from last week. They targeted Ledian's strongest point, and the battle unraveled when Ledian discovered that he was slower than Pikachu. Was Tiana planning to do something similar to Ash and take away Pikachu's speed? Was a Girafarig capable of such a feat?

"Just be ready for anything." Giselle warned him, and the duo in front of her gave a nod.

* * *

The referee raised his flag, and the audience showered the victor with applause. The commotion in the stadium was blocked out by the soundproof booth that overlooked the battlefield from high in the stands. This was the private viewing area used for Charles Goodshow and any guests he invited.

Charles leaned back into his sizeable office chair, which creaked beneath him. The first match was nothing to write home about, but it left him eager to see the next. Ash Ketchum garnered quite a bit of attention in his short career at the Hidden Cove, becoming a recognized trainer among the fans during his first three weeks. Tonight, he had a special fan that was viewing the battle alongside Charles.

The older gentleman turned in his seat to view the young man that was seated on the sofa. His lengthy green locks rested on his shoulders as he sat with one leg crossed over the other.

The King of the White Lotus.

"N, what made you decide to come to watch tonight's matches with me?" Charles inquired to break the silence between them. N blinked a few times and turned his head, seemingly breaking out of a daze.

"I'm here to see Ash Ketchum, specifically." He replied, and Charles raised his brow with intrigue.

"Oh really?" Charles noted with a smirk. "And what is it about him that interests you?"

"I've spoken to him before, and I know it's not sound to jump to conclusions after speaking to him just once, but I believe in his potential…that, and an associate of mine informed that I would see something special tonight if I came." He replied.

"Special? Like what?" Charles pressed, leaning forward in his seat.

"I'm not really sure," N began, but there was a knock on the door, halting their conversation.

"Come in!" Charles called out, and the door opened to reveal a man who had ties to both Charles and N.

"Charles, it's been a while hasn't it!"

Charles sent him a narrow glance during his entrance, but his expression became stoic as he observed the biggest sponsor of the underground circuit, Malcolm Berlitz.

"It has been." Charles replied softly as Malcolm approached them.

"I had some business to attend to in Kalos. It turned into quite an ordeal, so I had to spend a few weeks there," Malcolm explained as he took a seat beside N on the sofa. "It wasn't my intention to be out of Kanto for so long, but now that I'm back, I thought I'd check in on a few of my projects."

Malcolm's attention shifted to N.

"How is the White Lotus doing?" Malcolm asked him directly. N eyed him wearily before he gave an answer.

"The trainers are a rowdy bunch with big aspirations, but you can't expect anything else from a group of trainers," N commented dismissively. "Otherwise, everything is fine."

"Good, make sure you keep them in check," Malcolm said pointedly and then he relaxed into the sofa. "And that brings me to one of my other projects. How is Ash Ketchum doing?"

"He's doing well, in fact, you can see for yourself. His third match is about to start." Charles replied with a gesture to the field.

* * *

"Are you ready, Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner as the stood within their box on the field. They paid no mind to the audience and the shouts for the ref to hurry up with the formalities.

"Pi-pika!" He responded, squeezing Ash's shoulder.

"No holding back, okay?"

Pikachu gave a big nod.

"Alright then, let's do this!" Ash proclaimed as he thumbed the tip of his nose.

 _Together._

Ash glanced at Pikachu out of the corner of his eyes and flashed a grin.

"Alright trainers, your Pokemon!" The ref called out.

Pikachu and Girafarig took their places on their grand stage, gave each other a nod, and the ref signaled for the match to begin.

"Let's go fast from the start Pikachu, Agility and Double Team!" Ash hollered as he pumped his fist. Tiana beamed at his command, and Girafarig widened her stance in preparation.

"This is just what we trained for Girafarig, just stay calm and focus!" Tiana declared, and Girafarig nodded in agreement. Pikachu blurred as he dashed off, tracing a circle around his opponent, where he left five after-images to surround her. Pikachu didn't hesitate to attack from a flank, slamming his shoulder into Girafarig's body. She stumbled from the blow, but kept her footing and watched closely as Pikachu fell back in line with the after-images he had produced.

"Great Pikachu, keep it up with Quick Attack!" Ash shouted and Tiana quickly recognized Pikachu's excitement. Ash and Pikachu were committed to their usual brand of offense, and that was exactly what she wanted.

"Girafarig, use Extrasensory!" Tiana barked.

Girafarig lowered her head at the command, and two small antlers on her head began to glow. The pupils within her eyes turned a cyan blue, and she remained completely still, waiting for Pikachu's next attack.

The quicker of the two Pokemon shot forward faster than the eye could see, a yellow blur marking Pikachu's location for only a fraction of a second. Even with his nigh untraceable speed, Pikachu added a feint to his initial attack, a backstep to draw out Girafarig so that he could change his target. Rather than strike her body, he bounded in the air and rolled, stiffening his tail to slam it against the back of her neck.

Typically, in Pikachu's realm of speed, he could attack his opponent before their eyes could find him. But Girafarig was already looking at his current position, in fact, she was already reacting!

She leaped upward, greeting his stomach with the top of her skull. The unexpected blow left him short of breath as he reoriented himself to land on his feet. Pikachu's nose twitched as he met Girafarig's gaze. It left him unsettled.

Ash could feel Pikachu's unease, and he tilted his head as he studied Girafarig. He had no experience battling psychic types, but Girafarig's cyan eyes brought a mental image of his father's Kadabra to mind. Whenever Kadabra wielded his oppressive telekinetic abilities, his eyes would be colored in a similar fashion. Was Girafarig preparing to do something similar to Pikachu?

His lips became dry, and Ash quickly moistened them. He caught sight of the smirk Tiana wore, and his suspicions grew tenfold. Something was amiss…and it brought a smile to Ash's face. Whatever it was, they would figure out how to beat it!

Pikachu lowered his center of gravity when he saw Ash tip his cap.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded, and his partner's blinding speed manifested itself once again. His onslaught was relentless; he attacked from every angle he could, and yet…Pikachu came skidding to a halt now looking worse for the wear. He failed to land even one attack on Girafarig.

Ash couldn't believe what he had seen. Every attempt Pikachu made to attack was countered by a well-placed Tackle. Pikachu's speed was superior, his footwork refined to the point that he could change direction at the drop of a hat, but even with several feints mixed in, Girafarig shut down his Quick Attack completely!

Up in the first row of the stands, Giselle leaned forward in her seat, her newfound respect for Tiana taking the shape of a small smile.

It was no wonder she still wanted to battle Ash; Tiana had developed a method to neutralize Ash and Pikachu's greatest strength. Extrasensory was, in short, one of the few hard counters to Pikachu's speed. Giselle was right in her hunch that Girafarig was only just beginning to access her latent psychic potential, but here was a perfect example of the future growth Girafarig could undergo.

Extrasensory wasn't exclusive to psychic types since it provided heightened awareness to any Pokemon that could use it. However, psychic types could make the best use of this move by amplifying their precognitive abilities. Not only was Girafarig now in possession of a seemingly unnatural reaction time, but she could effectively predict Pikachu's actions. It was a twofold cord, granting Girafarig the ability to defend against Pikachu's attacks, and counter them at the same time!

Tiana had quite a head on her shoulders to think of this as an answer to Pikachu's speed.

"Giselle, what's happening down there?" Brock asked her as he leaned back into his seat. The battle was hard to follow in an almost indescribable way, as if the battle was moving in two different times, but still the same one. Pikachu was whizzing around his opponent, but he was taking all of the damage.

"It's um…" Giselle frowned as she tried to word her answer.

"Is Ash in trouble?" Brock entreated as he studied his friend on the field.

"I wouldn't say that," She answered. "But I'm not sure how he's going to handle this."

Ash pursed his lips and scratched at the bridge of his nose. He didn't bother to conceal his confusion as he waved off Pikachu's next attack. This reminded him of his battle with Brawly in November, and how his one use of Detect had completely shut down the linchpin of their offense. Extrasensory had achieved a similar level of success, and it made Ash bit down on his lower lip to know that all of their practice had been negated by a single attack _again_!

But this time, he had the luxury to see what he could do from here. Brawly hadn't given him the same opportunity.

"Okay Pikachu, we're going to change things up. Charge up!" Ash commanded. Pikachu took some distance from Girafarig, tensed his muscles and raised his tail. Small bolts of lightning began to crackle around him until he was bathed in an electrical shower, and he gave a shout, an eager smile on his face.

"Girafarig, use Light Screen!" Tiana called out quickly.

"Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

The Thunderbolt attack dragged against the field as it approached Girafarig, cutting through the hard surface as a demonstration of its power. But it met with a wall of light that guarded Girafarig, absorbing the attack. Pikachu gave a shout as he shut his eyes, summoning all the strength he could muster to further empower the surge of electricity. The Light Screen bent in response to the added pressure, and the lightning pierced through it, striking the quadruped Pokemon.

Tiana wasn't worried as Pikachu's attack came to an end, and Girafarig shook off the attack and stomped her front feet. Pikachu took a few deep breaths, feeling the energy he had exerted in an effort to break the Light Screen. All that effort didn't translate to any significant damage. If anything, he was at a loss since he would only get one use of Thunderbolt out of that Charge.

Ash removed his hat and took this opportunity to scratch at the back of his head. Light Screen reduced the damage taken from Thunderbolt significantly, to the point where the time it took the prepare the attack by using Charge was nothing but wasted time and effort. It wasn't just the strongest part of their offense that had been canceled. Tiana and Girafarig had a counter for everything they could do. So then…why weren't they attacking?

"Why aren't they attacking?" Brock asked Giselle who snorted in reply.

"Girafarig can only hit Pikachu as a counter, not when she's attacking," Giselle replied. "This was why I said their combo of Quick Attack and Double Team could threaten anyone in the circuit. It may not look like it because Tiana shut down the offensive side of that combo, but it functions as a form of defense as well. She can't abandon Extrasensory because then they'd have no answer to Pikachu's speed, so she's stuck on defense."

"But Ash can't attack now if he doesn't want Pikachu to take damage, how do you win a battle like this?" Brock inquired.

"Sometimes, you have to take damage to secure a victory."

Ideas spiraled around Ash's head about a course of action, but the majority of his plans would likely be nullified by Extrasensory. He looked back on all of his training with Giselle, and he quickly understood why she didn't oppose his focus on street battles since the year turned. Despite training with Giselle for a few months now, situations like these didn't come up. This was where the value of experience would truly shine.

He had no answer for a defense that he couldn't break.

What was he supposed to do?

 _Hey, hey, hey!_

Ash's eyes scanned the field and his gaze settled on Pikachu who was looking back at him.

 _Why are you panicking?_

"Well, what should I do here?" Ash asked softly.

 _What's with all this 'me' talk? Did you forget? We're in this together._

The statement from his partner cleared away all of the thoughts in Ash's head.

 _Now come on, we're not going to win by just sitting around!_

"Right! We're going to leave it all on the field Pikachu! Let's give it everything we've got!"

Pikachu took in a deep breath, filling his lungs to capacity. He felt revitalized, and gripped the field with his paws, anxious to test his limits. He tore off in a mad dash, pounding the field with each step. If Pikachu was any bigger, he might have actually done some damage to the field with how hard he was running. He neared his target, and feinted not once, but twice before he went in. Pikachu paled as he came face to face with Girafarig, and was sent tumbling away again.

"That's okay Pikachu, again!"

 _Right!_

Pikachu was quick to get back on his feet, and the process started again. The crowd marveled at the demonstration of his superbly developed speed, but they were equally impressed with Girafarig's defensive capabilities. Cheers rained down for both parties, and Ash felt uplifted from the energy the audience delivered.

The assault on Girafarig continued, but even as Pikachu diversified how he attacked, he made no progress. Girafarig reacted accordingly every time, and the beating he was taking was beginning to wear him down. Having landed on his back again, Pikachu rolled over and groaned as he pushed himself up. His body ached from the blows he'd received.

"I know you're hurting buddy," Ash said to his partner. "I've got your back, so stay strong!"

Pikachu sighed as he got back onto his feet, and he wiped at his sore chin with his forearm.

 _Right!_

Pikachu went down on all fours and tensed his muscles despite their protests. A faint white glow appeared around him, and he took off with another burst of speed, kicking up a cloud of dust from his starting point.

Girafarig felt a sudden rush beside her as Pikachu blew by her to set up for his next attack. In this space of time, she received a vision of the angle Pikachu would be attacking from next, and she turned to meet Pikachu head on as always. Again, she knocked him away, unsure of whether their stubborn commitment to this plan was foolish or praiseworthy.

Pikachu rolled in the air to land on his feet and he resumed his attack without wasting a moment. Even as this battle dragged on, through the use of Extrasensory, Girafarig could sense a sudden growth occurring within Pikachu and it began to show. With every attempt Pikachu made to attack, there was a window of time where Girafarig could predict and react to his movements. But that window was shrinking!

Pikachu's high paced offense pressed forward, and Girafarig's eyes widened as Pikachu's attack arrived before she could position herself to counter. She stumbled backward from the kick to her face, much to Tiana's surprise. Two more blows came through immediately, which threw Girafarig down on her side with a shout. However, there was no follow up from here. Pikachu wheezed as he fought to stay standing and his vision became blurry as the thought of passing out became all the more appealing.

"Whoa there buddy, hang in there!" Ash hollered to Pikachu who kept his footing. If he slipped and fell, he wouldn't bother to get back up. He had to stay standing. "I know you're tired…so let me lend you my strength."

Pikachu looked back at him.

"Win or lose, _we're_ going to do our best, right?"

 _Yup, together!_

"Together!"

A gust of wind flooded Ash's ears, and the audience faded away. His eyes grew wide as he looked around. The Hidden Cove was… _gone_. Somehow, the battlefield had been transported to a lonely mountaintop. It was just the four of them in this quiet and secluded place.

The altitude of this peak eclipsed the highest clouds, leaving them with nothing but the boundless blue skies and the sun's brilliant light. The silence of it all snatched away his anxiety, and calmness descended upon him. Ash heard a sound, a steady beat…no, two of them, _beating in unison_.

He looked to Pikachu, and he saw his partner looking back at him.

"Is that _our_ heartbeat?"

Pikachu nodded.

 _Together!_

Ash smiled.

"Together!"

An ethereal glow that matched the sun bubbled up around them, and the Hidden Cove returned. Many in the audience had gotten to their feet at the prospect of a knockout. Pikachu couldn't last much longer.

"Girafarig, this is our chance!" Tiana declared as they reached the climax of the battle. Pikachu's stamina was impressive, but not bottomless. Now that he lacked his speed for the remainder of the battle, this contest was hers for the taking. "Use Stomp!"

Girafarig's cyan eyes faded and she boosted herself up into the air using her powerful hind legs. Airborne, she looked down to spot her target, who she planned to crush with all the force she could generate from her fall. She was nearly ten times heavier than Pikachu, so such a move would certainly finish him off…if he remained still. Girafarig landed on the field with a powerful impact that kicked up a cloud of dust, but she didn't feel her opponent beneath her.

Tiana gawked at the sight of Pikachu on the other side of the field.

"How…?" She exclaimed. Just moments ago, Pikachu's offense faltered with clear evidence of heavy fatigue. How was he able to keep going?!

"Awesome Pikachu!" Ash shouted as he pumped his fist, Pikachu mimicking the action. "Now come on, let's give it everything we've got!"

Ash lowered his stance as Pikachu went down on all forwards, and Pikachu charged forward, disappearing into the dust around Girafarig.

"Extrasensory!" Tiana piped up quickly. They had a plan of action that had shown results throughout the battle. Victory was close, she and Girafarig just had to stick to the plan. Pikachu raced around Girafarig, clearing away the dust and allowing the audience to witness what would follow. Girafarig's cyan colored eyes returned, but she was struck immediately. She staggered from the blow, _and then_ she received her vision of Pikachu's attack.

Her eyes widened in shock as she was struck again, and the vision arrived _afterward_ yet again. The window of opportunity, her means to defend against Pikachu's speed, it had been shut completely. His speed had gone to another level!

Giselle jumped to her feet, mouth agape. She had seen Pikachu move fast when they trained… _but never like this_!

"Hell yeah, Pikachu, go get em!" Brock shouted as he stood alongside Giselle.

"Go Pikachu! Go!" Ash hollered as he threw a punch. Pikachu darted between Girafarig's legs, bounded off the ground and struck the top of her head with a speedy Slam attack. She was left dazed from the blow and she struggled to follow the yellow furball as he raced around her.

Tiana's shoulders slumped as Girafarig collapsed beneath Pikachu's overwhelming onslaught. The referee approached Girafarig, and he raised a flag toward Ash! The audience roared in response to the incredible comeback and Ash raced onto the field to hoist his partner into the air.

"Amazing Pikachu! You were just…awesome!" Ash smothered his partner with praise.

* * *

 _Three winged individuals observed the battle._

 _Wings tinged red from a crimson massacre._

 _Wings endowed with golden royalty._

 _Wings born in the fire of a hearth._

 _"Well? Did you see his wings?"_

 _"Wow, that certainly wasn't what I was expecting."_

 _"They're gorgeous though, right?"_

 _"Eh, I personally wouldn't say gorgeous, but they'll definitely make you do a double take."_

 _"Enough about that you two. We need a verdict. Is he ready?"_

 _"Oh, most definitely."_

 _"Yeah, I'm in agreement."_

 _"Good. Then Bianca, can you meet with him tonight?"_

* * *

Ash left the battlefield with Pikachu tucked nicely into his arm, already sound asleep from the battle. As he stepped into the tunnel, he was greeted by one of the attendants.

"Uh, can I help you?" Ash asked him and he gave a nod.

"The commissioner would like you to pay him a visit. I was told bring you to him." The attendant explained as he motioned for Ash to follow. They journeyed through the main corridor the stadium in silence, which provided Ash with the time to think back to one moment in particular during that match…when the audience disappeared.

Following that point, Ash felt closer to Pikachu than ever before, a surreal experience that he couldn't find the words to describe. It was like they were sharing a body…if that made any sense. He could feel the discomfort from all the damage Pikachu was carrying, and his muscles became strained as he picked up Pikachu's exhaustion. In exchange, he provided Pikachu with his own strength to rejuvenate and empower his partner.

The display of pure speed was truly a sight behold.

Ash had always dreamed of showcasing Pikachu's ability on the battlefield, but he never imagined Pikachu would be capable of what they had accomplished. Four months ago, he was so impressed with Pikachu's use of Agility. But now, what Pikachu could do with Agility completely blew that out of the water.

In fact, the overall growth since they started training with Giselle was obvious. They had refined a battling style that they could call their own, and Pikachu added moves like Double Team and Quick Attack to his arsenal. The evidence of their progress could be seen on the battlefield.

The Ash and Pikachu of a few months ago couldn't hold a candle to what they were now!

Ash thought of the trainers he had faced so far. 'Island Pete.' 'Blitz.' And now 'Saffron.' Each of them posed their own unique challenges as they battled, but he and Pikachu bested them all. They had some lofty expectations, after all…

Cross and his Lycanroc came to mind. Ash had some serious training to do if he expected to defeat the ruthless duo.

Then there was Volkner, King of the Lightning Regalia. Ash had never seen him in action, but his status as one of the Five Kings meant he was a force to be reckoned with. But what awaited Ash at the highest peak, his greatest challenge…he stepped out doorway up ahead.

N, King of the White Lotus, what many people considered to be the strongest trainer in Vermilion City, and possibly the world! His long mint-green hair dangled behind him, and he adjusted the cap on his head with a sigh. N raised a brow as he caught sight of Ash approaching with the attendant, and his lips curved upward.

The two of them only shared a glance as they passed.

Ash looked over his shoulder at N and declared, "I'm on my way."

N merely placed his hands in his pockets and continued in his way to conceal an earnest smile of his own.

"Here we are." The attendant stated as they came to a stop in front of the doorway that N had exited just moments prior. Ash sent a curious glance toward N, who was nothing but a slim frame in the distance. The attendant knocked on the door, and a familiar voice granted him entry. Ash gave his thanks to the attendant and entered the private and well-furnished booth.

Charles was seated in a leather office chair as he whirled around to greet Ash. But the other occupant in the room was lounging in on the plush couch with a glass of sparkling cider in hand. Ash's jaw hung open at the sight of this man who shot him grin and raised his glass.

"Quite the show!" He proclaimed.

"Mr. Berlitz, what are you doing here?!" Ash exclaimed in response.

"I'm your sponsor, don't you think I'd have the decency to attend some of your matches?" Malcolm asked in return. Ash tilted his head and babbled out a question that Malcolm couldn't make any sense of, so he waved it off with a chuckle and invited Ash to take a seat next to him on the sofa. "I see that you've been quite busy while I was away. Charles told me that you've already won three matches despite some rather astronomical odds being placed against you."

"Well, Pikachu and I just did our best." Ash replied; his mind adrift in questions for Malcolm. But one question surfaced, the only one Ash wanted an answer to.

Was he, at long last, going to get paid?

"According to Charles, you've had some impressive bouts. I'm glad I got to see this one for myself, it was worth the price of admission," Malcolm sent a narrow glance at Charles who shook his head ever so slightly.

"If you had called in advance instead of showing up unannounced, you wouldn't have had to pay." Charles retorted and Malcolm rolled his eyes.

"All of the trainers who direct the Mantine should be familiar with me," Malcolm responded haughtily. Charles kept his reply to himself as Malcolm returned his attention to Ash. "After what I've seen tonight, you've held up your end of our deal. So now comes the matter of payment."

Ash felt his heart climb up into his throat and it seized his voice. Fortunately, a nod was all he needed to give before Malcolm continued.

"Originally when I made this agreement with you, I thought I'd be able to pay out of pocket and keep the proceeds for myself," Malcolm explained fluidly. "But, when the payout from your first match came through, I realized it would be _prudent_ to open a bank account for your earnings."

Ash tilted his head, struggling to connect the dots. All he wanted was a straight answer.

"So…I'm getting paid?" Ash asked which caused Malcolm to stifle a laugh. He then reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a silver card case. Once he opened the case, he flipped through it quickly before arriving at the item he was looking for, a platinum card for the First Regional Bank of Kanto. He handed it to Ash and gave him a moment to examine it.

His name was engraved on the card, and it shimmered under the lights.

"Does that answer your question?" Malcolm asked in return. Ash looked up at him and gave a nod.

"Yes, sir." He managed to mutter.

"Everything in that account is yours," Malcolm stated, a smirk forming on his face as he saw Ash suck in his lips in a struggle to stay composed. "The pin number hasn't been set yet, that's all you have to do to access it."

Ash looked toward Charles and saw the cheery grin he wore. Then Ash returned his gaze to the card in his free hand, and Pikachu in his other.

He did it…

He…He did it!

* * *

Today was one of those days that made Brock believe in the impossible.

His best friend Ash Ketchum, overcame all of the odds, a thousand times over.

Just when the jaws of defeat were about to clamp shut during his match at the Hidden Cove, and Ash and Pikachu left everyone astonished by a sudden and unexpected comeback!

Then they hastily left the Hidden Cove to race to the Kanto's First National Bank. They arrived just before it closed, and Ash demanded that Brock watch him activate a platinum card using the ATM within the bank. When the account opened up, Brock's jaw hit the floor at the sight of the _six-figure dollar amount_ within the account, all of which belonged to Ash.

He was paid!

Brock began to jostle his friend to celebrate, but Ash ignored him completely. Rather he placed a hand over his mouth and hiccupped, so Brock gave him some space. Ash was quick to compose himself and request that they go to his house next. Brock knew that he wanted to see the girls, though he didn't anticipate Ash breaking down when he saw them.

When he opened the front door of his home, Macy came running to greet him, and Ash fell to his knees to embrace her. Just the sight of her broke down any composure he had, and the tears came forth.

"Ashy, what's wrong?" Macy asked in an effort to console him, but her purity only reminded him what he had been working so hard for. To keep his family together.

"We're going to be okay." Ash said softly. Macy may not have understood the significance of this statement, but Casey knew what it meant. Ash raised his head and looked toward her, opening one arm as a gesture for her to join the hug.

Casey's heart melted at the sight of Ash with tear-stained cheeks and a stupid grin on his face. The face of someone who had gone to hell and back for the people they loved. She approached and kneeled down for Macy's sake, and Ash absorbed them in his arms.

"We're okay."

Brock leaned against the doorframe and looked at Shauna, who stood at the entrance to the living room. In all the time she had spent with Ash, she had never seen him look like the blubbering mess she was watching. She looked to Brock and mouthed a question of 'what happened?' All Brock could do was smile.

Four months ago, Ash had been dealt a bad hand, but he played the cards he had and…somehow, this kid walked away from it all with _hundreds of thousands of dollars_!

* * *

A/N

Hello again guys, so good to see you all!

I want to first thank you guys for all your feedback and such. I say this every time but I really do enjoy talking with you guys. I drive my family crazy talking about this story with them, so you guys are kind of like a release valve to keep me under control lol.

To the reviewer who asked if this story is now solely Amourshipping, the answer is no. I watched XYZ many times, just never all at once. I spent March just watching like three or four episodes of Pokemon each night (something I haven't done in years btw) because Netflix was going to drop XY/XYZ. But in terms of shipping, this story is a little all over the place. I'm not huge on one particular shipping as this story might suggest. I just write what I want, but you can expect all sorts of moments with everyone. I'm not partial to any of the characters if that means anything to you guys.

I strongly recommend you guys anticipate the next chapter. You could consider it...sort of a prelude to the bulk of my plans that might help you understand the scope of this story. Anyway, just look forward to the next chapter, that's my suggestion to you all. It's already in the hands of my very capable beta-reader, so I'm aiming to upload it around the end of May, possibly early June in the off chance we make any significant changes.

Also, I send my usual thanks to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt for all his contributions!

Any questions or concerns, feel free to talk with me, always open to discussion guys! Gimme some love in my review section if you have some time, but otherwise, thank you again for reading, for your support, and I'll see you next time!


	29. Vision

**Chapter 29**

* * *

In the dead of the night, when even the bustling Vermilion City came to a standstill, Ash's bedroom managed to be the source of something peculiar. For once, however, he wasn't responsible for it. As Ash snored with his mouth ajar, an unseen force separated the blinds in front of the sole window in his room. The same power then lifted his window, allowing a shadowy figure to enter his room.

The floor creaked beneath their feet as they stepped down from the windowsill, but the sound went unnoticed by Ash as he rolled over in his bed. Once they were safely inside, the person turned and leaned out the window to thank her assistants.

"Thanks for your help girls," It was the voice of a woman as she nodded to the two airborne creatures outside. One of them cooed softly in question. "We could kidnap him, but I'm not a _brute_ like the guys. I want Ash to come along willingly."

Her partners accepted the answer, each of them giving a nod.

"Now use Magic Room for me, I don't want him waking up the whole house." She added. There was a brief flash of blue light, and then she turned her attention back to the slumbering young man. She approached him with silent footsteps and stooped down beside his bed to admire his unkempt appearance with a fond smile.

"After all these years, we've come so far," She noted. "Hopefully this will all come to an end in your lifetime."

Her brief and one-sided conversation with Ash came to an end as she took ahold of his nose and pinched his nostrils. It was a few moments before Ash's eyes snapped open and he shot up from his bed gasping for air.

"What the hell?" He groaned, squinting at the person at his bedside. He was under the impression that it was Casey or Shauna. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Ash felt his heart stop at the sight a stranger in his room with their face hidden by a hood.

He slammed his back to the wall as his heart raced. Who was this? How did they get in his room? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his bedroom window was open, but he knew for certain that he had left it shut when he went to sleep earlier.

"Pikachu!" Ash barked as he threw off his covers. He raced over to his door and yanked on the handle to the point where he threatened to tear the knob off, but to no avail. Ash began to pound the door with closed fists, calling for his partner. A hand touched his shoulder and he whirled around with wide eyes.

"Ash, I want you to calm down." The stranger said.

"How do you know my name and…who are you, what do you want?!" Ash shouted at her.

"My name is Bianca," She began, lowering the hood that had concealed her identity. The moonlight pierced through his room and lit her familiar face. The first thought that came to mind was the flock of Pidgey that would follow her whenever her saw her.

It was the 'Bird Lady!'

"What are _you_ doing here?" Ash exclaimed as he pointed at her. "Why would you break into my room!?"

"I had to speak with you tonight." She responded simply and Ash creased his brow in response.

"Well, how did you get in here then?" Ash asked her, his voice growing softer. Bianca motioned for him to follow her to the window but Ash hesitated. She insisted he come with her and he eventually complied. Once he was at his window, she pointed out an avian Pokemon that was perched on the roof across the street from them.

"My Pidgeot brought me." Bianca answered him, and Ash's eyes grew wide at the sight of the massive bird. Pidgeot easily eclipsed him in height and he could only imagine the sight of her full wingspan. But even as he gawked at the impressive Pokemon, Ash knew for a fact that a Pidgeot couldn't unlock a window.

"But how did you get _in here_?" He questioned.

"Ah, I have another Pokemon with me, although she's on the shy side," Bianca explained. "She can use Psychic, so she opened up the window and helped me in. She also soundproofed this room for me because I know that you're not really the… _quiet_ type."

In his panic, Ash had called out to Pikachu, but his partner never answered his pleas for help. At least now Ash knew why he went unanswered.

"So, does that answer all of your questions?" Bianca asked him kindly, and Ash gave a reluctant nod. His unease had faded considerably, but even though he knew this person, he struggled to accept that she had climbed into his bedroom in the middle of the night. "You know Ash, I've been watching you ever since our last discussion."

Ash tilted his head, unable to recall their last conversation.

"I came tonight because you finally spread your wings," Bianca stated warmly, arms extended in wonder. "It made me so happy to finally see them as they should be."

"Spread my wings?" Ash repeated with a narrow glance.

 _"…I do want to see the day that you spread those gorgeous wings of yours."_

"Oh yeah, you said that last time," Ash noted. "But what does that mean? How did I spread my wings?"

Bianca's curved upward and she stifled a laugh.

"I can't answer all your questions, Ash," She retorted as she shook her head. Ash lowered his head and furrowed his brow.

"So then, what are you here for?" He inquired.

"I wanted to talk with you again," She replied. "So, tell me, have you ever flown before?"

"No, I've never been in a plane…" Ash said but Bianca wasn't looking at him. He followed her line of sight out the window, and he saw that she was staring at the Pidgeot.

* * *

Ash shivered as the crisp night air blasted him. Placed precariously on the back of Bianca's Pidgeot and clinging to the woman because his life depended on it, Ash could only marvel at what he was experiencing. They were soaring over the dense suburbs that occupied the northern edge of Vermilion City, fast approaching the point where the city thinned out and Route 6 began. Stratus clouds whizzed by, their appearance almost ethereal from the moonlight that bathed them from above.

"Wo-Wow!" Ash screamed, unable to contain his excitement any longer. "This is amazing! I've only heard stories about riding Pokemon that could fly, but this blows all of those out of the water!"

"Well before the Great Crisis, everyone used to use ride Pokemon around." Bianca pointed out as she glanced back at Ash.

"Really?"

"Mhmm. There were still planes and boats, of course, because you'd be crazy to try and cross the ocean on a Lapras, for example. It would take you like three weeks to get to Sinnoh, and that's if you don't get lost on the way." Bianca informed him, and Ash raised his brow. "I mean, riding a Pokemon won't get you places faster than a car, to be honest, but this is _so much cooler_ , right?"

"You bet!" Ash cheered, and Bianca's Pidgeot trilled in agreement.

"You know Ash, I don't know if anyone's ever told you this before, but you have a very…" Bianca stopped and Ash leaned over a bit, waiting anxiously to hear what she would say. "I'm not exactly sure what to call it, if I should say that you're dauntless or adventurous, but you have a kind of… _appreciation_ for new things. There aren't many people that would jump from the second-floor window of their home onto a Pokemon they've never met, but _you did_."

"Gee, I don't really know what to say about that." Ash responded as he scratched at the back of his head.

"Well, what I'm really trying to say is that I think it's so encouraging to meet someone that isn't afraid of, or disrespectful toward, Pokemon," Bianca clarified. "It's not something I run into too often and," Bianca turned her upper body to look behind them, spotting the shadow that followed them in the distance. "I wish my friend there would try to get to know you too. I think it would be great for her to be around someone new."

"Is she really that shy?" Ash asked and Bianca nodded.

"We live a very secluded life. She doesn't handle strangers so well anymore." Bianca answered, causing Ash to look back at the silhouette that was trailing them. He knew for a fact that she was a Pokemon, one that he had never seen in the PokeHub database. She possessed a streamlined form, resembling that of an aircraft.

Ash tilted his head with a frown, wishing that Pikachu came with him. Perhaps his buddy would've helped him break down the barriers between himself and the Pokemon.

"Wait, so where do you live?" Ash asked as he turned back to Bianca.

"Out in Route 6. It can get lonely at times, so I come to Vermilion City every now and then to shop and be around other people." Bianca explained. "But that's enough about me, I came to talk about you, Ash."

"Me? What for?" He questioned.

"I wanted to tell you how happy I was to see you spread your wings," Bianca commented. "When I last spoke to you, I saw your wings and felt _terrible_ seeing them chained up to your back so tightly. I know you were going through a hard time back then, but I was fearful of what you might decide to do."

"What did you think I'd do?" Ash asked causing Bianca to shrug her shoulders with a sigh.

"I don't know. I've seen many people react differently to having their wings chained. But you put my heart at ease," She revealed with a hand on her chest. "At every hurdle, you rose higher and higher. You shed your chains one by one…until your wings were set free. And then you finally spread them during that battle in the Hidden Cove. How did it feel?"

"How did it feel?" Ash repeated. "I don't know. I mean, I still don't even know what that means. How did I spread my wings?"

Bianca glanced over her shoulder at him and he could see a faint smile from the dim light available.

"I already told you, Ash, I can't answer all of your questions," Bianca remarked and he huffed out a 'fine.' "But what I will say is…your wings can take you to a place unlike any other."

Ash knit his eyebrows immediately, a vision of the mountaintop coming to mind. The hushed serenity of it was unlike anything he had felt before, and he'd felt closer to Pikachu than ever before! Was that the place Bianca was referring too? A plane definitely couldn't get him up to the peak of that mountain, but could a Pokemon do it? Or was it really just 'his wings?'

"Ah, here we are!" Bianca exclaimed as she pointed down below. Ash abandoned his thoughts and leaned over to see what she was looking at. Whatever it was she was pointing at, Ash couldn't see it in the darkness of the night.

Pidgeot warbled and began a slow descent into the thick forests of Route 6, heading down into a clearing where Ash spotted a wooden cottage. He would've missed it completely if not of the warm orange glow that came from within it. The grass flexed in response to Pidgeot's landing, and Bianca leaped off of her back with ease. Ash followed suit and saw that Bianca was looking up at the moon, waving to it. For a brief moment, a shadow flew over the clearing, and in that short time frame, Ash recognized it as the other Pokemon that had been following them. Bianca's 'friend.'

"Is your friend going to join us?" Ash asked curiously. Bianca shook her head in reply.

"She's going to wait until you go back home," Bianca replied and all Ash could do was shrug his shoulders. "Now come inside."

Pidgeot only followed them as far as the front door of the cottage. She could fit through the doorway, but Ash could imagine it being a hassle for her to get in and out of the small home. Rather, Pidgeot remained on the porch where an enormous but torn and weathered cushion was located. Ash waited at the doorway and watched as Pidgeot stepped onto the cushion, her talons tearing up the filling before she nestled herself into the mess.

"Uhh…" Ash looked to Bianca who giggled.

"Those cushions only last about a month for her," Bianca commented. "That's another reason I'll go into Vermilion City every now and then. There's a little craft store that I order those cushions from since her talons ruin them pretty quickly."

Ash could only imagine the cost of replacing those, and the odd task off getting them outside the city.

"Wait, you don't have a car, so how do you get those cushions back here?" Ash asked as he stepped into her home.

"Oh, my friend who was trailing us, she helps me get back home with it." Bianca explained though she could see that Ash probably didn't hear her answer. His focus had gone straight to the Pokemon that stepped into the living area after hearing their arrival.

The shiny, well-groomed coat of fur that looked brilliant in the light provided from the fireplace. Amber eyes that studied him intensely as they reflected the flames from across the room, but the most striking feature was the large nine tails.

"Ninetales." Ash said softly at the sight of the Pokemon.

"That's right, Ninetales told me that you two had met before," Bianca said as Ninetales looked to the far corner of the room. It was one of the few areas where the light of the fireplace didn't reach, an area shrouded in darkness.

Two candles that were mounted on the wall became lit, and Ash's eyes widened as a wooden pedestal was revealed. Resting on top of it was a small easel that held a thick book…a tome.

"So soon, Ninetales?" Bianca asked but the Pokemon ignored her.

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked them and Ninetales approached the pedestal and sat there.

"Ninetales is waiting for you." Bianca revealed as she raised a hand as a gesture for Ash to join Ninetales. Ash looked to the Pokemon, who rustled her tails, beckoning for Ash to come with a nod of her head.

Ash didn't hesitate and kneeled down in front of Ninetales to groom her mane. In response, Ninetales delivered a headbutt to Ash which left him splayed out on his back.

 _Not me you dolt! The book!_

Ash sat upright and came face to face with the sharp gaze Ninetales was aiming at him. He gave a weak chuckle as he scratched the tip of his nose.

"Sorry, I uh…never mind. The book," Ash said as he got back on his feet, now focused on the item in question.

It possessed a worn leather covering, and the pages were colored from years of decay. On the front cover was nothing more than a circle etched into the leather with what appeared to be a pupil at the center of it. Almost like…an eye.

"Did you want me to read this?" Ash asked as he glanced down at Ninetales. There was no response, so he looked to Bianca for an answer.

"Just look inside." Was all she said.

Ash returned his focus to the book and carefully opened it with the tips of his fingers. The first several pages were blank, but soon enough Ash reached a point where he found some text and he furrowed his brow at the sight of it.

It was some sort of _archaic language_.

Letters or…symbols that he had never seen before.

No, wait…

As he turned the page, he began to find some resemblance between these symbols and the English alphabet. Most of them were close to the letters he was accustomed to, but each and every symbol had a big eye at the center of it. It was hard to get used to as he went through the pages, making comparisons between these symbols and what he knew, but as he continued, he began to group the symbols into words, and the words into sentences.

The Grand Cycle.

The Cycle of Man.

The One True King…

Ash ran a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. Nothing made sense!

Even as he adjusted to how the text was written, it was ultimately nothing but a bunch of useless information.

"What does all of this even mean?" Ash asked as he looked down at Ninetales. The Pokemon looked at him and then looked back toward the book. "Ugh, I don't even read this much in English class."

Ash saw a hint of a smile on Ninetales' face and she rustled her tails.

"Fine, I'll keep going." Ash muttered.

He dove back into the book and pressed forward. It became easier for him to read the text, and he flew through the next few pages until he reached what seemed to be the end of the first chapter.

It concluded with: _"When every life meets another life, something will be born."_

When Ash read those words aloud, the letters in the book began to blink at him. Ash stumbled backward with a gasp as the letters abandoned the pages of the tome, rising up into the air. He gave a shout as he fell down onto his bottom again, eyes wide and mouth agape at what he was witnessing.

Floating letters…

Five of them separated from the group that hovered above the book and spelled a word for him.

Flash.

Ash was swallowed within a blinding light.

* * *

"Do you know of the Way?"

"Does he know of the Way?"

"He has been to the Peak, he must know of the Way."

"He has seen the Peak?"

"Indeed, he has."

"Then he must know of the Way."

The voices came from everywhere, as though Ash was sitting at the center of an audience. Actually, maybe he was, he wasn't really sure what to make of the beings that surrounded him. He was at the center of the mountaintop again, with the hundreds, if not thousands of those floating letters around him. Their voices varied, male and female, whispering, stating, shouting and exclaiming. Some of them were filled with child-like exuberance, others spoke with teenage ignorance. But one voice filled with age and wisdom piped up, silencing the rest as another letter descended from above.

The letter N.

"Nia!" They exclaimed as the letter approached Ash.

"He does not know of the Way." She declared. Ash tilted his head as he glanced at 'Nia.' Her voice…he heard it already. It matched the voice of Ninetales…

The questions broke out once again.

"How can this be?"

"He is with us on the Peak, is he not?"

"How can he not know of the Way?"

"He was brought before the Book," Nia announced. "He is one of the Few, brought before us to see the Way himself."

Nia looked back to Ash, who was simply at a loss for words. But then again, what could you say when you were seated before a council made up entirely of _…a floating alphabet_.

"Okay, can anyone here tell me what the heck is going on?" Ash exclaimed and Nia floated right up to his face.

"There is much you want to know child, but now is not the time. Your focus belongs elsewhere, now go," Nia stated as they motioned toward the empty skies out in the distance. "Glimpse into the Way, and you shall see. How it was once, the way the world should be."

Out in the distance, far beyond the edge of the mountain, Ash saw three rings take shape. They rotated freely around the sphere within it. The rings came to a standstill, aligning with each other which granted him access to what they guarded.

"But how do I get out there?" Ash asked as the letters moved aside, allowing him and Nia to approach the edge of the mountain peak.

"Take flight child, your wings are open," Nia stated, and Ash glanced over his shoulder to see them for himself. "Enter the gate."

The vast majority of the wings he had seen were always white.

However, there were three exceptions to this.

Bianca had scarlet tipped wings.

Volkner possessed golden wings.

And his own wings were the third.

Ash peered over the edge. It was a sharp decline from there, with nothing to catch his fall. As a test, he kicked a stone off the side and watched it disappear in the clouds below. He winced, fearful of what was in store if he couldn't actually fly.

"So how does this work?" Ash asked.

"Hmm?"

"Flying, I mean." He clarified.

"Just think of what gives you strength and you will stay airborne."

"Think of what gives me strength…" Ash trailed off, collecting the thoughts he needed.

His friends, his family, his dream…and Pikachu!

He leaned forward, but before he even began to fall, his wings caught an updraft. Ash was thrown up into the air over the mountaintop, allowing him to see that only a small portion of it was visible. The rest of it was concealed within a dense fog.

His wings spread out gallantly, and Ash looked toward the free-floating rings as his destination. The air was still, allowing him to glide straight to it. Five of the letters were following him to the gate, and they went ahead of him.

They spelled 'Flash' for him again.

As Ash entered the gateway, he was consumed in a bright light.

* * *

The highest peaks just barely stood over the cloud layer.

But even these mountains paled in comparison to the tree.

It towered over the highest of heights.

His wings kept him afloat, and Ash marveled at the sight of the tree. Among the many peaks that pierced the top of the clouds, the tree extended from the tallest of them. Its sizeable roots were embedded in the mountain top.

 _"Head to the surface, child."_ It was Nia's voice.

He followed the direction and tucked in his wings, diving down into the clouds. The air blasted his face, forcing him to squint as he descended. Ash couldn't tell how long he had been in a nosedive, but when the clouds finally broke, he discovered how truly monstrous this mountain was in size. It was mixed in among an incredible chain, but the base of the mountain that the tree rose from was inordinate in comparison to the rest.

Despite coming down beneath the cloud layer, Ash was still high enough to see the lands below. They stretched out into the horizon, as vast as the sea. He continued his descent and leveled off once he was close enough to see the ground. As he neared the end of the mountain range, he noticed the sprawling forests occupying the ground with a flowery garden ahead.

There were people here!

They were all tending to the wonderful garden, and they were aided by Pokemon!

Bellossom and Sunflora tended to the plants.

Poliwag and Buizel provided the water.

A Kricketune played an upbeat tune as they worked.

It was _marvelous_!

Ash set himself down on the hillside overlooking the garden and his wings dissipated, the feathers as vibrant as the flower-filled fields below. Ash laid on his back and relaxed with a grateful sigh. Hearing the small exchanges between the people and their Pokemon put Ash's heart at ease.

This was what he wanted, what he always dreamed of!

A world where people and Pokemon were united!

 _"You are Ash Ketchum! The one heralded to walk the Path of Mastery!"_

Ash's eyes snapped open in search of the thundering voice. He couldn't see the source, and the people in the garden didn't react at all. He must have been the only one who could hear it.

 _"You are Chosen! Prepare this world…and guide the King!"_

Ash sat upright, opening his mouth to question the voice, but the letters returned.

They spelled out 'Flash' in front of him once again and everything faded to white.

* * *

 **Sunday, January 15th**

Ash shot up from his mattress with his heart racing, skin drenched in sweat.

Adrenaline…this early in the morning? From what? Was it that crazy dream he had?

Ash ran a hand down his face and flicked the perspiration off. With a sigh he turned and set his feet on the floor, rubbing at his eyes to help them adjust to the sunlight that was beaming down on him, through his open window.

Open window…

Ash eyed his window warily, the curtains waving softly from the breeze. It was still open, just like how he had left it last night on the back of a Pidgeot. He shook his head and let out a chuckle.

That _had_ to be some sort of crazy dream. The 'bird lady's reappearance, that strange book, the council of talking letters, that garden paradise. It was definitely a dream.

"Yesterday was a crazy day…" Ash concluded as he rose up from his bed and approached the window. It was just past nine o'clock on a quiet Sunday morning, so the commotion of Vermilion City had yet to set in. He could hear the Pidgey's chirping a gleeful song, and Ash smiled as he leaned against the window frame to bask in the sunlight.

He drew in a slow breath. A cleansing breath. His chest swelled and his troubles abandoned him. Whatever that dream was about; it didn't concern him now. With a glance at the nightstand beside his bed, Ash saw the sparkling platinum card that he received from Malcolm Berlitz last night.

His payment for winning matches in the underground circuit.

He clasped his hands together and pressed them against his cheek as he released another slow breath. It was all over. There was nothing that could tear his family apart.

* * *

Ash leaned back into the park bench with a vanilla and chocolate ice cream cone in hand. Casey sat beside him with the same treat, though she only attacked the chocolate portion.

"I'm almost done Casey, are you ready?" Ash asked her.

"Ugh, geez, why do you have to eat so fast?" Casey muttered causing him to chuckle. "Yeah, I'm ready."

The two of them exchanged cones, continuing the small tradition that had stuck to since they first had ice cream with Cassidy all those years ago. They would order two vanilla and chocolate cones; Casey would eat the chocolate halves while the vanilla was left for her brother.

Ash accepted her cone and devoured what remained for him, letting out a belch of satisfaction. Casey jabbed his side with her elbow.

"Fatty." She commented and Ash stuck his tongue out at her.

Ash watched her out of the corner of his eye as she ate, and hid his smile from her. It was still early in the morning when Ash made a suggestion that he, Casey, Macy, and Shauna go to the park. Of course, Macy was all for the idea, and no one had the heart deny her that. While Shauna supervised Macy on the playground, Ash and Casey went to an ice cream cart that was set up in the park.

Looking to the playground, Ash spotted Macy at the top of the slide with two other kids. He couldn't make sense of their shouts, but the mixture of laughter made it clear that they were having a blast.

All was well.

"Casey?" Ash said to get her attention as she ate the last bite of her ice cream cone.

"Hmm?"

"I want to say…thanks."

"For what?" She asked.

"For believing in me," Ash stated. "I don't know if it was a big deal for you, but it meant a lot to me."

Casey rolled her eyes and jabbed his side with her elbow once again.

"Quit being so corny," As she finished her sentence, she belched in a similar fashion to Ash, and her cheeks turned scarlet red as several people turned to look at her. Ash burst into a fit of laughter at her expense, and Casey punched his arm in response.

It was at that moment that he heard himself laugh for what felt like the first time in ages. A genuine laugh from the pit of his stomach…actually, he was laughing so hard his stomach hurt.

This felt _almost_ right.

He had everything that he had been working toward.

Two wonderful sisters that he adored.

Friends that were irreplaceable.

And the money to cover his every want.

What else could he need?

His laughter died down as he saw an image of the garden paradise from his dream. He had everything he needed, but there was one thing missing. Pikachu should've been with them right now.

All these people in the park, they didn't know the value of having a Pokemon as their perfect companion. These kids, out of dozen or so of them on the playground, only Macy would ever appreciate Pikachu's presence. The rest of them would be told to stay from the little yellow furball if he got within twenty feet of them.

It wasn't fair to them. The children wouldn't even get a chance to have their own opinion of Pokemon. Their parent's opinions would be forced upon them, and another generation would be denied the chance to develop a relationship with a Pokemon.

Ash had worked hard these past few months to solve his own problems. But he was nothing more than a grain of sand in the grand scheme of things. The greater goal, his dream of a world where everyone was united…that was what he wanted to achieve.

* * *

Ash and Brock sat within the glittering lobby of the First Regional Bank of Kanto. The lobby was bustling with activity, but the two of them were alone in the waiting area. For the third time since their arrival, Brock posed the same question he asked earlier.

"What are we doing here, Ash?"

Ash continued to ignore this question and instead, offered a question to Brock.

"Did you bring everything I sent in the text message?"

"Yeah, but what do I need all of that for here? I already have an account with a different bank." Brock pointed out.

"I know that."

The sound of heels clacking against the marble floors earned their attention. Both turned to look out into the lobby and they saw a beautiful woman approaching the waiting area. Time slowed for Brock as he observed her walk, how her curly locks bounced with each step, how her business attire hugged her form.

"Now I know what you brought me here for!" Brock exclaimed with rosy cheeks.

She entered the waiting area and approached them.

"Hi, you must be Ash and Brock, my three o'clock appointment, right?" She asked them and Ash gave a nod to confirm. "Great, my name is Francesca, nice to meet you guys."

"No, it's nice to meet you, Francesca!" Brock declared as he took one of her hands. "Such a beautiful name only surpassed by your own beauty! Please, honor me with your presence at dinner tonight to build upon our fated love!"

Ash deadpanned, as did Francesca.

"Uhh, yeah-no thanks." She stated quite bluntly as she removed her hand from Brock's grasp. Brock lowered his head in defeat and Ash stifled a laugh at another appearance from the 'Master of Rejection.' "So um, if you guys will follow me to my office, we can get started."

Her office was actually a small cubicle farther back in the lobby, but it was considerably quieter. She invited them to use the chairs in front of her desk while she got set up at her computer.

"Alright, so this should be a pretty quick process provided you brought all the information I need." Francesca began as she took a file out of her desk and placed it in front of them. "Two forms of identification as well as the documents I sent you, Ash."

Brock pulled out his driver's license and passport. As he placed these items on the table, he watched as Francesca went through a three-page form, marking several blank spots with her pen. Once she finished, she slid the paperwork across the table to them along with a pen.

"Alright, all you guys have to do is sign these and initial on the spots I marked." Francesca stated as she collected their ID's. She rose from her desk to take these to the photocopy machine in the back corner of her cubicle.

"What's all this for?" Brock asked Francesca as Ash began to sign off of the document.

"To create a joint bank account between the two of you." Francesca answered, causing Brock to look at Ash incredulously.

"Is this what I think it is?" He asked Ash. Brock received a small smirk in reply.

"Ye-up."

"Dude, no way. That money is yours, you earned it." Brock stated as he stood up in his seat.

"Brock, where you going?" Ash asked to halt him before he could leave.

"I'm not letting you give me any of that money. You worked too hard to start giving it away."

"Giving it away?" Ash repeated in disbelief. "Is that what you think I'm doing? Stop and think for a minute Brock, without you, I don't know if I would've made it through the last few months. I don't care what you have to say, at least _some_ of this money is rightfully yours."

Brock bit down on his lower lip and kept his back turned to Ash.

"Come on now, Brock, you know it and I know it," Ash went on. "You've worked just as hard as I did, you deserve this. You can do all the things you wanted…you can send your parents on that little vacation you talked about. Are you telling me they don't deserve that?"

"Oh, that's low," Brock groaned as he glanced back at Ash. "That's like trying to blackmail me into taking this money."

"I wish my friends would blackmail me into accepting money." Francesca said, perhaps a bit too loudly. Her cheeks reddened as Ash and Brock looked to her so she did her best to laugh off her embarrassment.

"You could take a little vacation too. It'll give you some time to kick back with your brothers and sisters, which you're going to need if your parents are away for a while." Ash pointed out causing Brock to stifle a laugh.

Ash saw the chip in his defense. The thought of sending his parents on a vacation was the only thing that could entice him into accepting the joint account, and Ash continued to attack his weak spot.

"Alright Ash, alright," Brock conceded as he returned to his seat. "I'll do it, but not for your sake. For my parents."

"See, I knew you were a good son." Ash commented with a grin.

The two of them filled out the remainder of the paperwork, and with Brock's name now attached to the account, he was granted full access to Ash's funds.

"Are you sure about all this, Ash?" Brock asked him one last time.

"Brock, there's no one I'd trust with this money more than you." Ash stated without hesitation.

"Aww, that's so nice." Francesca said with a smile as she sat across from them at her desk.

They bumped fists and the process concluded with Brock receiving a platinum card for his own use. They bid a farewell to Francesca and made their way out to the parking lot behind the bank.

Fortunately, the car had been parked in the shadow cast by the bank, so it remained cool for Pikachu, hidden within. As they entered his car, Pikachu climbed onto the armrest between the two front seats to give them a greeting.

"Alright buddy, now there's we have one last thing we have to do today." Ash said, and Pikachu lowered his ears in dismay.

* * *

The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon as Ash and Brock zipped through the dense foliage of Route 11 in Brock's car. There was a plethora of roadways scattered about the area, most of which went to the eastern coast of Kanto. To reach the coast was probably a three-hour drive by car, but the beaches there were beautiful. However, most people only knew this by the pictures provided on the internet. The seaside area was recognized as Route 12, an untamed land inhabited solely by Pokemon, and for many people, a place that was considered to be off limits.

For Ash and Brock, their destination was located in the equally untrusted Route 11. The sprawling forests that surrounded them were likely unnerving for a regular civilian, but Ash loved the mystery of it all. What Pokemon were out there waiting to meet him? Did they want to battle, or maybe share an Oran berry?

They had gone perhaps thirty minutes into Route 11 before the paved road they were following came to an end. It continued as a dirt road, but Brock brought his car to a stop.

"How much farther in do we have to go, Ash?" Brock inquired.

"It's like ten minutes from here," Ash explained. "If we follow the road it should lead to a place we can park, and then the rest we have to do on foot."

They pressed onward, and like Ash had said, the dirt road led them into an area where four other vehicles were parked. Brock pulled into his own space and turned off his car, watching as Ash and Pikachu eagerly jumped out of the passenger seat. Now standing upright, Ash lifted his t-shirt and removed his belt from his pants.

"Ash, what are you doing?" Brock asked as he climbed out of his car.

"I was reading about Diglett's Cave on the PokeHub," Ash began. "They said they have metal detectors in there as a precaution."

Brock raised his brow.

"Really?"

"The crazy part is they said its some sort of Pokemon too," Ash added. "It's for the like the off chance the police are investigating the cave, these Pokemon are like a natural defense against them."

"Wow, that sound pretty cool." Brock noted as he began to strip himself of any metal. His belt and watch were tucked away in the backseat of his car while Ash collected his duffle bag from the trunk.

Their adventure into Route 11 began with Pikachu leading them through the brush. Tree branches rustled above them occasionally and a group of Pidgey or Pidgeotto would take flight, startled by the group of three. The Spearow would remain perched in their trees, eyeing them with their sharp gaze, but Pikachu's presence made them wary of attacking. Rattata would dart across the pathway every now and then, concealing themselves in the underbrush, though Ash could feel their gaze as his group pressed onward.

Secretly, Ash was hoping to see some sort of super rare Pokemon, or maybe one that he hadn't seen on the PokeHub yet. Unfortunately, this little wish remained unfulfilled as they arrived at the entrance to Diglett's Cave. The entrance to the cave was one large chamber dotted with lights that were mounted on the wall to light the darkened room. At the heart of the room was a sizeable hole and ladder to take them several meters below ground, to where the cave began.

"Come on Pikachu, let's go!" Ash exclaimed with a grin, eager to see what awaited them down below. Pikachu climbed onto his shoulder as he stepped down onto the ladder. It became humid as they spent almost forty seconds going down before it opened up into an impressive tunnel that was illuminated by many ceiling lights.

Ash wiped the sweat from his brow and adjusted the strap of the bag on his shoulder. His shirt was already starting to stick to his torso, and they had only just begun their trek.

Diglett's Cave was a relic from the past, existing long before the Great Crisis. It was said that it once acted as a shortcut from Vermilion City to Pewter City, but that was before planes had been invented. It was inhabited with many Pokemon, but mainly it functioned as a nest for Diglett, the Pokemon responsible for the creation of the cave. Today, Diglett's Cave functioned as a hub for the underground circuit and the trainers of Vermilion City.

Valued items such as Pokeballs and Potions were delivered to Diglett's Cave and sold from there. It was a safe house, since even the authorities from Vermilion City dare not enter the cave for fear of getting lost in it.

"We're going this way, Brock." Ash called out. The room that they started in was large, with two tunnels going in opposite directions. They would be heading to the left.

The journey continued at a moderate pace as Ash and Brock drained the water bottles they brought. The humidity was nothing to take lightly as they ventured through the tunnel. With time, it opened up into another large chamber, although this one was far more developed than the previous one. It had multiple floors and bridges to connect the raised areas.

Not just regular bridges to walk on, they were wide and reinforced for weighty objects to move across like…vehicles, perhaps?

"Up there," Ash commented as he pointed toward the second floor of the chamber. They had entered from the lowest point, but there were ladders scattered about to help them scale the steep walls and reach the upper levels.

"Pi?" Pikachu said as Ash and Brock climbed one of the ladders. The walls of the room were covered with holes that were about the size of an opened hand, and Pikachu could swear that he saw something watching them from within the closest hole.

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he grabbed the next rung.

"Pika, Pikachu." Pikachu replied with a frown, pointing at the next hole. It was directly in front of Ash's face, and he laughed at Pikachu's suggestion that they were being watched.

"There's nothing to worry about, Pikachu," Ash stated as he came to a stop and reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone with one hand. He turned on the flashlight feature and shined it into the hole. "See? Nothin' to worry a-a-a, whoa!"

"Diglett-eeee!" A shrill voice screeched as a small creature popped out of the hole. Startled from the sudden appearance of the Pokemon, Ash was caught leaning back and his only hand slipped off from the rung of the ladder.

Brock, who had been only a few rungs beneath Ash on the ladder, looked up after hearing Ash's shout. Before he could react, Ash's body came plummeting down on top of him and both of them went back down to the ground in a heap. The trio was splayed out on the ground, little swirls replacing their eyes and they gave a groan. When they finally got their bearings, Ash, Brock, and Pikachu found two Pokemon in front of them.

A hot-tempered Dugtrio who was berating a Diglett.

"Trio, trio!" They shouted at the Diglett in unison, and then one of them motioned toward Ash with his head. Diglett approached them with his head lowered, cutting right through the hard surface of the cave like it was nothing.

"Dig, diglett," He apologized as he bowed deeply. Pikachu was quick to accept Diglett's apology, and the two had a brief exchange where Diglett made a promise not to disturb them again. Ash and Brock merely chuckled before the two natural inhabitants of the cave disappeared into the ground.

Their second attempt to get to the higher levels was much smoother, and Ash and Brock found exactly what they were looking for. It was another tunnel, but resting on each side of the entrance were two stone statues. Each them possessed a nose that was tremendous in size, and Ash could only wonder why the sculptor would build them like this. They looked ridiculous!

Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and approached one of the statues, sniffing at its feet.

"Come on Pikachu, we have to keep going. The shop is at the end of the tunnel." Ash called to his partner as he and Brock were already making headway into this corridor. Pikachu looked back at the statue warily but scampered off to catch up with Ash.

At the end of this tunnel there was a steel door waiting for them. Ash raised a hand to bang on the door, and moments later the spy hole on the door slid open, revealing a pair of sharp eyes the took a moment to identify each of them.

"What's the password?" A burly voice asked them.

Ash and Brock shared a glance, and then Ash stepped forward with the answer.

"One, three, six, three, four, nine, seven, seven, six." Ash answered.

The current nine-digit code needed to access the PokeHub.

The spyhole was shut, and they could hear the tumblers begin to rotate before they locked into place with a heavy _ker-chunk_! The door opened, revealing what looked like a warehouse in a cave, shelves lined with the gear all Pokemon trainers needed. They were invited in by the doorman, a large man who slammed the door shut once they were inside.

He introduced himself as Duncan and told them he would be waiting at the back of the room when they were ready to make a purchase. Thankfully this room was much cooler than the rest of the cave thanks to the two air conditioning units in the back. Together, the trio began to traverse the aisles, inspecting the equipment.

Ash marveled at the Pokeballs that lined each shelf, bending down to take one in the palm of his hand and weigh it carefully. He gripped it tightly and saw his reflection on top of it. He couldn't help but smile. It felt right to hold a Pokeball in his hand.

Holding onto the Pokeball he had selected, Ash followed Brock over to a wall of stickers that could be applied to a Pokeball to help trainers mark what Pokemon was contained within them. It only took a few moments for Ash to find the proper sticker for Pikachu's Pokeball.

A lightning bolt.

Ash wasted no time applying it to the upper portion of the Pokeball and beamed as he showed the item to Pikachu on his shoulder. Pikachu's nose twitched in response, but he remained silent as the shopping spree continued.

The duffle bag Ash had brought was filled to the brim with Potions, sixty in total.

"Oh man, that's heavy!" Ash exclaimed as he felt the weight of his bag on his shoulder. He had been so excited about getting his hands on these supplies that he didn't even think about having to carry all of it back to the car. That would be a doozy…but at least now he and Pikachu could resume their normal training schedule, plus they would always have the money to come back and get more.

"Is that everything?" Duncan inquired as Ash and Brock approached his counter at the back of the room. Ash gave a nod and listed what he would be purchasing for Duncan to calculate the cost.

"Say, Duncan," Brock began to get his attention. "Ash told me that you have some sort of metal detecting Pokemon in the caves, is it the Diglett and Dugtrio?"

Duncan stifled a laugh.

"They play a part in protecting the safehouse, but it's not them," Duncan responded as he looked toward Brock. "The Pokemon you're talking about is called Nosepass, you passed them on your way in."

"We did?" Ash asked.

"I didn't see any Pokemon." Brock added.

"You did, you probably didn't realize it," Duncan explained, unable to suppress his grin, "The statues."

" _Those_ were Pokemon!?" Ash, Brock, and Pikachu exclaimed, Pikachu doing so in his own words. The three of them were reminiscent of a Dugtrio and the image caused Duncan to laugh openly with a merry expression to contrast his hulking stature.

"Yeah, they're called Nosepass," Duncan replied after a few moments. "They're masters of magnetism, so if for example, the police raided this place, the Nosepass could strip them of their weapons before they even made it to the door."

"That's so cool!" Ash said with starry eyes.

"And don't worry, they won't bother you on your way out. But don't be afraid to say hello either." Duncan said and the group gave him a nod.

The final price for their shopping trip was thirty-one thousand, five hundred dollars. Eighteen thousand for sixty Potions, and the remaining thirteen thousand covered the cost of the Pokeball.

The price of a Pokeball was sky high for a number of reasons. These devices that were crucial to a trainer's career were only made in one place on the whole planet - the Pokeball Factory north of Laverre City in Kalos. The cost of making and shipping them all over the world them was extraordinary, and in a market of supply and demand, these items were currently worth as much as a decent car.

With a swipe of his new platinum card, all was taken care of and the group was on their way. They said their goodbyes to Duncan, the Nosepass and any of the stray Diglett they ran into on their way out of the cave. Lugging the heavy duffle bag became a shared duty between Ash and Brock, and it eventually reached the point where they were carrying it together. The stifling humidity left them drenched in sweat and anxious to get back outside.

Climbing up the ladder to reach the entrance of Diglett's Cave was excruciating with the weight of duffle bag hanging from Ash's back. But the higher he went, the cooler the air became, and that invigorated him for one final push. Ash gasped as he threw himself over the top, and rolled out of the way for Brock to join him up in the entry chamber. There was a breeze coming through, and after resting on their backs for a few moments, Ash and Brock rose up and went outside into evening sun.

Ash gave a sigh of relief as he placed the bag on the ground and peeled off his t-shirt. He didn't care about being shirtless as he tossed it on top of the duffle bag. Retrieving Pikachu's Pokeball from his pants pocket, he pressed the center of the ball to bring it to its full size. He extended his arm to strike a pose with his new Pokeball!

Turning around, Ash spotted Pikachu perched on a rock, admiring the skies that were plastered in red and orange tones from the setting sun. Ash approached his partner and took a seat beside him, placing a hand on Pikachu's head as a greeting.

"I know this isn't a day that you've been looking forward to, buddy," Ash began as Pikachu looked up at him. "You've told me before that you're not the biggest fan of these."

Ash lifted the Pokeball and Pikachu looked away.

"I want you to know, Pikachu, that I've never intended to keep you in it. You've always been with me almost everywhere I go; I don't think I could get used to having you in this thing either," Ash explained causing Pikachu to sit back on his bottom with a sigh. "I'd get a little stir crazy too if I spent my whole day cooped up in a Pokeball. I'll only ever use it if we _absolutely_ have to. I'm talking about emergencies, end of the world type stuff."

Pikachu snorted, unable to keep a straight face from the comment. He then placed a paw against Ash's side.

"Pika," Pikachu began. He understood the need for a Pokeball. It was more than just easy transportation; it was for his and Ash's safety. Whether he liked it or not, Pikachu was willing to make the adjustment in living quarters for Ash's sake.

"Pikachu, you're something else," Ash commented with a great smile. "You're the best teammate I could ever hope to have."

Ash extended the Pokeball toward Pikachu.

"So, welcome to team 'Quest.' It's a pleasure to meet you, Pikachu." Ash said formally, earning a laugh from his comrade.

Pikachu raised his paw and tapped the center of the Pokeball.

 _The pleasure is all mine._

The Pokeball cracked open and Pikachu turned into a red light that was swallowed up within the Pokeball. It snapped shut and shook in Ash's hands a few times before the Pokeball hummed to confirm the capture of Pikachu.

As the capture was completed, the Pokeball opened again and Pikachu jumped out onto Ash's lap. Brock then approached the two now that team 'Quest' had officially been formed.

"So uh, is there any room for one more?" Brock inquired causing Ash and Pikachu to share a glance.

"The more the merrier, Brock!" Ash exclaimed. He was the biggest supporter and the first believer in team 'Quest!' Of course, they would welcome Brock warmly.

Ash thought of that world he saw in his dream last night.

A place where people and Pokemon lived together in peace and harmony.

With the help of Brock and Pikachu, the newest additions to team 'Quest,' he was certain that he could find a way to make that a reality!

* * *

 **A/N**

So, this is a HUGE chapter, although I'm sure many of you are probably scratching your head. Everything from the first half of the chapter was alluding to future stuff. If you have questions, feel free to ask me via review or PM, I'm happy to give you the best spoiler free answer that I can. :D

I said this to a few people prior to posting this chapter, but consider this a prelude to the greater story within this story. I'm not going to say much else here in my author's note.

 **Notable Introductions**

 **Bianca the 'Bird Lady.'** She's already made appearances in the past, but she only received the title of 'Bird Lady.' Now she's a bit more relevant so I thought it was time to give her a proper introduction rather than throwing names around way back when she first appeared. She has some more future appearances, but I'm going to keep that to myself for the time being.

Those of you asking about Dawn, I'll just say it again, I haven't forgotten her. I can assure you that she is coming back, just be patient. The focus on this story is Ash, nuff said lol!

Update for you all: There's likely to only be one update in June. It's going to be a busy month for me, I have a bad case of writer's block and I've been stuck for like two weeks now lol. So, until I work through it, we may have a bit of a drought on our hands. My apologies in advance and I hope to see you again all sooner rather than later!

Credit to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt for his contributions, and my thanks goes out to those of you who take the time to message me or review, it's always appreciated. I say welcome to my new followers and I hope you enjoy the ride. Leave me a little love in my review section, peace out!


	30. Visit

**Chapter 30**

* * *

 **Wednesday, January 18th**

Giselle watched her Cubone intently as he practiced at the center of their usual clearing on Route 6. He swung his bone furiously, but with expert precision, as he envisioned his opponent as none other than Ash's Pikachu. It had been a while since Ash and Pikachu joined them on Route 6 for a practice session, though Giselle understood that Ash had other obligations to tend to.

With Ash absent, Giselle had the time to practice one on one with Cubone like she used to. Months of battling Pikachu proved to be a valuable experience for her Cubone, or rather, a humbling one. Of course, she wanted Cubone to have a measure of confidence in his ability, but she didn't want him to become overconfident. This was the just the case prior to them meeting Ash and Pikachu. Cubone picked up a bad habit of underestimating his opponents - not that this problem was exclusive to him. Giselle was also guilty of this, and it showed in her first few battles against Ash.

Cubone witnessed Pikachu transform from a blunt instrument in Ash's hands, to a hyper offensive monster whose onslaught of attacks could force anyone into submission. Watching Pikachu's growth, and also being on the receiving end of said growth, Cubone learned quickly not to look down on his opponents. The humility was important for Cubone's growth as a competitor. Respecting his competition would only make him work harder to surpass them, which Giselle observed in her Pokemon right this very moment.

Cubone froze mid-swing and he turned toward the entrance of the clearing. Several bushes rustled, which earned Giselle's attention before three old faces stepped into her practice ground.

Ash, Brock, and Pikachu.

Her lips curved upward at the sight of them. As irritating as the three of them could be, each in their own _special_ way, Giselle missed their company. So, she welcomed them warmly in the only fashion she could.

"Cubone, you ready for a battle?" She asked of her partner. Cubone hit the field with his bone and gave a shout.

"That's exactly what we came here for!" Ash exclaimed as he took off his backpack and tossed it aside. "You ready, Pikachu?"

"Pika-pika!"

* * *

Ash gave a content sigh as he leaned back against a tree trunk, taking shelter in its shadow. It felt good to return to his old routine.

"I see you've gotten rusty since you last battled us." Giselle commented as she and Brock joined him beneath the shade of the tree. Ash scratched at the bridge of his nose with a grin.

"Maybe," He noted. "We took a few days off after our third match."

"You know, I wanted to talk to you about your last match." Giselle stated.

"Oh boy, I had a feeling you'd want to go back to it." Ash mumbled as he settled himself against the trunk again in preparation for her lecture.

His third match at the Hidden Cove stadium was like running into a brick wall. The usual style of battle that he would employ with Pikachu, the heart and soul of their offense, had been negated by Extrasensory. It wasn't the first move to achieve such a feat, but it reminded Ash that he could still be considered a shallow trainer. He had one strategy, and if that failed, he had no choice but to try and make a miracle happen.

Fortunately, such a thing did happen in his last match, which allowed them to secure a victory.

"I got exposed, I know," Ash admitted, shaking his head. "We're one trick phonies. There's so much Pikachu and I still need to learn…"

Brock pursed his lips, brow creased in response to Ash's statement. Even though his third victory was life-changing in the short term, Ash still had his eyes on the big picture. Rather than becoming absorbed in creating an easy-going life for himself, he focused squarely on what he and Pikachu still needed to improve.

"I'm glad you're not content with your performance even though you won," Giselle stated with a nod of approval, "You can't expect to keep winning battles once everyone knows you only have one method to attack."

"But where can we go from here?" Ash asked her. "I don't know what else Pikachu can work on."

"This is where the PokeHub can come in handy," Giselle said as she retrieved her phone. It was more than just a site dedicated to the underground circuit; it was a treasure trove of information about almost all Pokemon.

As she began to explore the research papers that had been left back over the years, she soon discovered that there was only a little information available concerning Pikachu. The page that had been created specifically for the small electric Pokemon was lackluster, providing the most basic details such as the average height and weight of a Pikachu. Giselle frowned and decided to broaden her search parameters. She looked through the documents about electric type Pokemon, something she never bothered to do, since her Cubone was immune to the effects of these Pokemon.

Like all types of Pokemon, electric types had their own strengths and weakness. As Giselle dove into the finer details, she soon realized that Pikachu was only just beginning to tap into his true potential. One paper, in particular, caught her attention - the findings of an older man from Hoenn who spent his life around electric type Pokemon.

 _These electric Pokemon are really quite interesting. Within each of them is a power source that could power a whole city block at any given moment, but in their youth, they can't control it at all. It's frightening for them because it causes overloads while they are young. They become afraid of their own power and subconsciously put up a barrier or threshold to stop these overloads. As they mature, their bodies adapt and reach a point where it can properly conduct all of this electricity, but some of them never overcome the initial fear of the overloads. – Wattson, Mauville City._

Giselle's brow was crooked, her head leaning to the side in deep thought.

According to this 'Wattson,' this was something all electric Pokemon experienced. So, did that mean Pikachu was afraid of his own power too? And if so, what would happen if Pikachu overcame that fear? Giselle returned her focus to her phone. Wattson still had more to say.

 _According to an old legend, there was a warrior princess named Ginchiyo. She once ascended to the highest mountain in the land and there she witnessed electric type Pokemon being struck by lightning! She said the intensity of their electrical storms increased tenfold! I believe this was a rite of passage for electric type Pokemon, a step toward adulthood, in which they gain mastery over their abilities. – Wattson, Mauville City._

"Wow, that's interesting…" Giselle noted.

"I'm not really sure I get it." Brock muttered as he stood beside her.

"Well it's a legend so, I guess it does sound pretty farfetched." Giselle commented.

"Huh?" Brock exclaimed as he finally looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

"What are _you_ talking about?" Giselle asked in return. Brock motioned to the clearing where Ash and Pikachu were hard at work doing…dance steps?

"I'm trying to figure out what the heck they're doing," Brock explained. "Now what were you talking about?"

"I was reading and I started to talking out loud," Giselle responded, but she kept the focus on Ash. He and Pikachu were near the center of the clearing trying to mirror the steps of the other. "Ash, what are you doing?"

Ash straightened up from the ridiculous one-legged pose he had paused in. He approached them as he chuckled.

"I'm not exactly sure," He revealed, causing Brock and Giselle to stare at him in a deadpan.

"So, you're just wasting time?" Giselle clarified causing Ash to raise his hands in his defense.

"No, I'm just…" He gave a sigh, trying to find a way to explain himself properly. "During our last match, this weird thing happened with Pikachu. I don't really know how to describe it, but it's kind of like we were _connected_ during the battle."

Giselle perked up at this. Brock stroked at his chin, unable to think of a reasonable explanation.

"Whenever I moved, Pikachu would move with me. And if he moved, I did the same," Ash went on. "And…it's kind of felt I could see through his eyes, and he could see through mine. I don't know...like I said, it was weird. I don't really know how to explain it."

"That's completely fine, Ash," Giselle commented. "Pokemon are filled with all sorts of mysteries, and you might be on the cusp of discovering something new."

"Really?" Ash exclaimed, his eyes teeming with excitement. He looked to Pikachu. "Did you hear that buddy? If we figure out this out, we might be the first to do it."

As the duo beamed at each other, Giselle crossed her arms in front of her chest.

 _'…it's kind of like we were connected during the battle.'_

Giselle wondered if such a thing was possible.

* * *

Ash waved to Brock as his friend disembarked to head back home. Ash gave a sigh as he glanced up at the darkened skies. He didn't mind coming back home late, especially since his time was well spent training with Pikachu and Giselle. Ash adjusted the straps of his backpack at the thought of Pikachu, his partner now resting within.

Even with the acquisition of a Pokeball for Pikachu, the two of them came to an agreement that it would only be used in emergencies. Pikachu wasn't a fan of accepting the Pokeball as his new residence, and Ash could live with that. There was something about having Pikachu on his shoulder that just felt…right.

Climbing the steps to his home, Ash unlocked the door and entered quietly. As soon as it was closed, Ash opened his backpack to release Pikachu who darted off into the living room to greet their company. Ash followed him in and waved to Serena, Casey, and Macy, who were watching television together. His stomach voiced its concern to him, and Ash bowed out to go to the kitchen in search of a snack.

Scavenging through the pantry for something quick, Ash settled on the small bags of pretzels that Macy loved. He took two for himself and made a mental note to buy some extra later this week to replace what he ate. As he pulled at the top of one bag to open it, Ash caught sight of a light flashing on their phone. Someone had left a message on the answering machine.

Hardly anyone called their landline, so he furrowed his brow as he approached.

Who would call them?

Ash let the message play.

"Good evening, this is Dr. Ethan Avertt calling from Lt. Surge Memorial Hospital. I'm calling on behalf of Cassidy with news for her family. Two days ago, she woke up from her coma, and I'm happy to say that she's made great progress since then. When you get this message, feel free to come by and visit. She's expecting you all."

Ash forgot about his hunger, to the point that he dropped the pretzels he held, dashing off into the living room.

* * *

Ash licked his lips and did his best to ignore the constant smell of disinfectant. He wondered how this smell pervaded even the lobby of Lt. Surge Memorial Hospital, but he had to toss the thought aside quickly as a familiar face in Ethan Avertt entered the lobby.

The doctor who had taken charge of monitoring Cassidy's coma.

A group consisting of Ash, Serena, Casey, and Macy sat in the waiting area, watching Ethan closely as he approached the receptionist's desk.

"There he is." Casey whispered to Serena.

"That's Cassidy's doctor?" She asked in return and Casey gave a nod.

"Yeah, he's been really nice and helpful whenever we stop by," Ash explained but he was silenced when Ethan began to make his way over to them. He approached with the warmest of smiles, and Ash knew why he was so cheery.

For the first time since their initial meeting, Ethan had some good news for them!

"It's good to see you guys, although I wasn't expecting you all to come tonight, so I hate to say this, but visiting hours are over," Ethan explained. He chuckled at the sight of the narrow glances he received and motioned for them to relax. "But…since you called in advance, I talked to a few people and they've made an exception for you all. Come on, let's go see Cassidy."

The trip to her room was long, and occupied by Ethan's explanation of her recovery process over the last two days. Her awakening had caught them off guard, and it took Cassidy some time to get through the momentary shock of waking up in a hospital room. Once she relaxed, they explained that nearly three months had passed since she fell into a coma.

Ethan related how he felt like he was in a movie explaining all this to Cassidy, earning a laugh from Serena. It certainly did sound more like a movie script than real life.

Ash's heart quivered as he saw Cassidy's nameplate on the door. Ethan gave a knock and there a voice the kids hadn't heard in a long time. As the door opened and they ventured in, they all saw a sight to behold.

Cassidy, sitting upright, eyes wide at the sudden appearance of her children.

"Mommy!" Macy exclaimed as she ran up to her bedside.

Serena was quick to help Macy up onto the bed where she embraced Cassidy, and her mother absorbed her in a hug. She kissed Macy over and over again as the small child held fistfuls of her hospital gown, clinging tightly to Cassidy.

"I missed you, mommy!" Macy announced as she finally pulled away, beaming at her mother. Cassidy brushed her at the corner of her eyes with her thumb, blinking rapidly as she did so. Then she caught sight of Casey coming up alongside her bed. Cassidy sniffled and smiled up at her. Casey may not have realized it, but her lips were parted ever so slightly, beads of tears now holding a position at the edge of her eyes.

Her hands shook, so she grasped the plastic railing on Cassidy's bedside to conceal it.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" Cassidy asked her softly. Casey bit down on her lower lip and lowered her head to conceal her expression. Her chest was uncomfortably tight and a lump resided in her throat that refused to budge. A sniffled escaped, and Cassidy placed her hand on Casey's, rubbing the top of her hand with her fingertips. "It's alright Casey, I'm here now."

A tear dropped onto Cassidy's hand, and she reached out to tug on Casey's shirt. Casey complied and leaned over the banister, lowering her head to rest it on Cassidy's shoulder. Her mother raised one hand to caress her cheek and placed her head against Casey's.

"I thought that…I thought that I might not ever see you again." Casey croaked out, her voice disappearing as she spoke. Cassidy merely shushed her.

"I know, you've been strong for a long time," Cassidy noted. Then she reiterated, "But it's okay, I'm here."

It took some time for Casey to gain a semblance of her usual composure, but during this time she received several kisses from Cassidy and Macy. Watching the three from a distance, Ash leaned against the far wall with his hands tucked into his pockets. Serena stood alongside him, enjoying the discussion between the girls and their mother as they filled her in on all the events that she had missed.

He missed this, the exchange between the three of them.

Feeling Serena tap at his arm with her elbow, Ash glanced at her and saw that her brow was knit as she studied him.

"Are you okay?" She whispered to him. He looked back to the trio that was wedged together on Cassidy's bed.

"It's just a lot to take in," He replied after a few seconds passed.

Serena understood.

It wasn't _just_ that Cassidy was waking up from a coma.

It all seemed like the ending of a fairy tale.

Through all of the struggle, Ash scraped and clawed at his only means to keep them together. Day and night, months of constant training, and finally he entered the underground circuit.

Each of his first three victories was special. Against all the odds placed against him, he overcame it all! His fortitude threatened to crumble beneath him so many times, and if not for his friends, Ash was certain that he wouldn't have made it through the last few months.

And then finally, when he looked into the account Malcolm had given him as payment for his matches…the tremendous weight he carried was finally gone.

He could pay for anything they needed, and that he did.

Cassidy's hospital bill was wiped clean, and within days of this, she woke up.

It was hard to grasp it all. _Everything_ worked out.

Not everyone was so fortunate that they could make all their problems disappear in the span of a week, but somehow Ash made it happen. So of course, it felt more like a long dream than anything else…and he could live with that.

He was now a Pokemon trainer and his family was secure.

He did it.

Abandoning his thoughts, Ash focused on the discussion at hand.

The girls were bombarding Cassidy with questions: how was her recovery going? When would she get to come home?

She shared everything she knew with them. Ethan had already explained everything to her. The heart attack, on top of the time she spent in a coma left her physically week. They estimated about four weeks of rehabilitation in the hospital before she could go home. And even after she returned home, Ethan stressed that she should hire a home health aide for around the clock care to monitor her.

Most this went straight over Macy's head, so it was broken down into the simplest terms for her.

"I'll be home next month," Cassidy explained for her. "But until then, you can come to visit me whenever you want."

They talked for at least thirty minutes, until Macy dozed off on the bed beside Cassidy, curling up beside her mother's hip. It was at this time that Cassidy posed a question to everyone in the room.

"Do you girls mind if I speak with Ash privately for a little while?" Cassidy inquired.

"Do you want me to take Macy?" Serena asked with a gesture to the girl that slept beside Cassidy, curled against her mother's hips.

"No, she's fine here." Cassidy said in reply, smiling fondly at Macy.

Casey and Serena agreed without complaint and went on their way. Once the door shut, Cassidy looked to Ash, who was still against the far wall of the room. They hadn't said a word to each other so far, the girls receiving all of Cassidy's attention upon arriving.

"So, what should I ask you?" Cassidy began mildly as she made a gesture for him to come close. Ash came up alongside her bed where Casey stood previously, but he sat down on the windowsill.

"That's up to you. Is there anything you want to know?" Ash asked in return.

"Yeah. There are a few things," Cassidy answered. "Like, how are you?"

"I'm good." Ash said simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Are you sure? I know you must have been through a lot while I was gone." Cassidy pointed out. Ash gave a nod in agreement.

"It wasn't anything too crazy." Ash answered.

"That's not how it seems to me," Cassidy commented. "I heard from one of the financial advisors here, umm…ugh, I forgot her name already," Cassidy shook her head and focused on Ash, "She showed me the bill, it was practically a hundred thousand dollars. How in the world did you manage to cover that?"

Ash looked away from her.

"I did it." His voice was flat, causing Cassidy to raise a brow.

"What do you mean?" She pressed.

"I became a Pokemon trainer."

Cassidy needed a few moments, her eyes traveling around the room as she processed this. It was the only reasonable explanation for him to cover the hospital bill. He was still a minor so there was no job that could pay him that much. Cassidy placed a hand on her chest, exhaled, and then made eye contact with Ash.

"Why, Ash?" She asked him softly.

"It was the only way." He stated as he leaned back against the window. "I couldn't access the account you left me and the money I made at the craft store wasn't enough to live on. So, I quit that job and started training seriously with Pikachu."

"And what about school?" Cassidy asked him sharply. "I hope you're still going."

"I am," Ash assured her. "I had to, otherwise Casey would've quit too."

Cassidy gave a nod as she glanced at the doorway that Casey had left through earlier. She had always been a pain in the ass when it came to anything related to school. Cassidy thanked him softly, though Ash was quick to point out that he wasn't the only one who watched the girls. All of his friends had been helping him. This information left a smile on Cassidy's face. She wasn't the only one looking after her children, there were other people out there that were guarding them closely.

"You're really a trainer now?" Cassidy asked him with a straight face. She received a nod from Ash. "What did you have to do to get that money then?"

"It's not what you think," Ash interjected. "I didn't join any of the gangs or anything. I focused on practicing with Pikachu and joined the circuit."

Cassidy leaned forward, her eyes wide.

" _You_? Got into the circuit?" She exclaimed, careful to keep her voice low. "Well…I guess it's not _that_ farfetched. Your father was an impressive trainer as well."

"Yeah, I saw him one night while I was at the Hidden Cove." Ash revealed.

Cassidy's expression darkened and the mood in the room became heavy.

"You did?"

"Yeah, I got a chance to talk to him too." Ash added.

"And…how did it go?"

"Mmmm, not really how I expected it to," He admitted with a snort. Ash recalled being trapped in the psychic grasp of his father's Kadabra. "But I wanted to know what happened back in Pallet Town when my mom died but…he told me I wasn't ready to know."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that Ash." Cassidy said, but Ash waved off her apology.

"Thanks, but it's no big deal now. In fact, I'm kind of glad I ran into him that night. It's because I ran into him that I found my sponsor for the circuit." Ash explained and Cassidy raised her brow with intrigue.

"Really, how did that happen?"

"As I was talking with my dad, he told me the only way he'd tell me what happened to my mom is if I beat him in an official match. I told him that I didn't have anyone to sponsor my matches so I couldn't get in, but he recommended someone to me." Ash went on. "It turns out he's some business tycoon with enough money to retire his great-grandchildren."

Ash stifled a laugh at his comment, scratching at the back of his head.

"I don't know if you've ever heard of him before, his name is Malcolm Berlitz," Ash stated.

Cassidy froze.

"In fact, you've met his daughter, Dawn. I was really surprised that she was his daughter of all people, and their house is stinkin' huge, it's ridiculous,"

Cassidy raised a hand to stop him.

"Hold on Ash, your father…sent you…to Malcolm Berlitz?" Cassidy repeated.

"Yeah." Ash said with a nod.

For a brief moment, Ash saw something that he had never seen from her before. Her gaze became razor sharp, her jaws tight and nostrils flared. The malice he felt from her, it caused his heartbeat to thump against his ears and he saw her wings.

They stretched from her back daintily, but their elegance was short lived. As they took shape, Ash saw that they were folded and tightly bound by several dark chains.

"Why would your father send you to _him_?" She asked vehemently. Cassidy had forgotten where she was, her voice causing Macy to stir beside her. The darkness of Cassidy's expression faded immediately, along with her wings, as she looked to the small girl that rested beside her.

"What do you mean?"

Cassidy looked back at Ash after hearing his question. She took a few breaths to calm herself.

"I'm sorry Ash, I um…" She shook her head and then met his gaze. "It's not my place to tell. All I can do is give you is a warning."

Ash's jaw became tight as he stood up.

"A warning about what?"

"Malcolm…Don't trust that man, Ash." Cassidy said ominously.

"Why?" Ash exclaimed as he motioned to the room around them. "It was his money that paid for all of this."

Cassidy shushed him as Macy rolled over in her sleep.

"I understand that Ash," She answered softly. "This is just my input… _do not_ trust Malcolm Berlitz."

* * *

Ash stood outside of Cassidy's room, leaning against the wall of the corridor. The halls were almost silent, though he could hear some soft conversation from within the room between Cassidy, Casey, and Serena. His mind was adrift, struggling to piece together his conversation with Cassidy.

She had always been against his activity with Pokemon trainers prior to her heart attack. But as he explained what he had to do, she seemed to be accepting what he accomplished so far as a trainer. Until he mentioned Malcolm Berlitz…

The man generously sponsored him as a circuit trainer and was the reason why they weren't swimming in debt right now. So why would Cassidy tell him _not_ to trust him? It didn't make any sense!

Ash placed a hand on his chin, replaying the conversation in his mind.

It started with his explanation of why and how he became a circuit trainer. The chance encounter with his father resulted in him meeting with Malcolm Berlitz.

 _"Why would your father send you to him?"_

Was it more than a coincidence that those events were chained together?

He had run into Darach _by chance_ and received tickets to the Hidden Cove.

It was _by chance_ that his father was battling that night which led to their reunion.

And it was _by chance_ that Aaron recommended Malcolm as a sponsor…

Right?

But…what if it wasn't?

Was that possible? That someone was sitting in the background, pulling the strings to all this, like a marionette? He shook his head. No, that sounded _too crazy_. Who in their right mind would do something like that? And to him of all people?

He had never done anything to anyone. Ash was certain about that.

 _"Malcolm…Don't trust that man, Ash."_

So, what could possibly cause Cassidy to make such a statement?

Ash ran a hand through his hair exasperatedly.

The questions that he had buried months ago were resurfacing.

What was his father doing?

What happened to his mother?

But now he felt like there was a new one. Malcolm had mentioned during their initial meeting that there was a connection between him and Aaron. Cassidy questioning why Aaron would recommend Malcolm as a sponsor left Ash to wonder: what was the relationship between Aaron and Malcolm?

* * *

 _Two winged individuals watched Ash closely._

 _"Oh my, his wings…he folded them."_

 _"He's straying from his Path."_

 _"He's distracted again…we need to help him regain his focus"_

 _"Alright Bianca, I'll entrust him to you again."_

 _"I spoke with him last time, it's definitely your turn, Volkner."_

 _"…Fine. Do you have any suggestions?"_

 _"Hmph, I'm not helping you. You're an adult, I'm sure you'll think of something."_

 _"Alright, I'll get around to it soon."_

* * *

 **Thursday, January 19th**

Brock's car roared as he stepped on the accelerator, racing up the roadway into Route 6 en route to their usual training session with Giselle. Ash and Pikachu were in the passenger seat, sharing the great news from yesterday with Brock.

"Man, I can't believe Cassidy really woke up," Brock noted. "It's been a long time since I spoke to her. I was getting worried those might have been my last words to her."

Ash furrowed his brow.

"What was the last thing you said to her?" Ash inquired.

"Uh, I came over to hang out a while back and I burped really loud," Brock explained with a laugh. "She asked me if I burp like that at home and I said 'yeah.'"

Ash couldn't help but laugh, needing a few moments to compose himself.

"Wait, wait, so you didn't even say goodbye to her or anything when you were leaving that time?" Ash asked him incredulously.

"I didn't see her on my way out." Brock retorted desperately.

Ash shook his head, wondering how in the world he became such close friends with Brock. His phone began to buzz in his pocket, so Ash took it out to check who was calling.

"Miette?" Ash said through pursed lips. "She never calls me."

"Maybe she butt-dialed you." Brock suggested causing Ash and Pikachu to roll their eyes.

"You're just having a ball today, aren't cha?" Ash asked him, earning a snicker from Brock. Ash then focused on the call as he answered the phone. "Yeah Miette, what's up?"

"Did May call you at all in like the last half an hour?" Miette asked him, her tone urgent.

"No. Why? Is something wrong?" Ash asked her in return.

"I just got a call from her two minutes ago. There was a paramedic on her phone telling me she got into a car accident so she won't be able to watch the girls," Miette explained.

"Whoa, whoa!" Ash interjected, earning Brock and Pikachu's attention as well. "Back up, what happened?!"

"I said she got into a car accident on her way to your house. She's alright, just some minor injuries. The paramedic said she asked someone to call me with her phone to let us know she won't make it tonight," Miette went on. "I have to be at work in an hour, I don't know if you can get back here in time but I can't stay, sorry."

"No no, don't even worry about it, Miette. We can get back there in like twenty minutes." Ash responded. He thanked her for watching the girls during the morning and ended the call. "We gotta head back, Brock."

"I figured. But what happened?" He asked curiously.

"May got into a car accident."

"Oh, crap," Brock muttered. "Did Miette say if she's alright?"

"Yeah, supposedly it was nothing serious. I mean, Miette said that May was telling the paramedics to call one of us to let us know, so she must be okay." Ash assumed and Brock nodded in agreement. "I'll call her myself later, but for now we got to head back. Training is canceled for today."

* * *

 **Friday, January 20th**

 _Her heart jumped into her throat._

 _She slammed on the brakes._

 _The tires screeched…and she was too late._

 _A chilling crunch rang out._

 _White noise assaulted her eardrums._

 _Darkness consumed her._

"May?"

 _Her head throbbed as she lifted it from the steering wheel._

 _She squinted but her vision remained blurry._

 _Her chest ached and her arms trembled._

 _She reached for the door handle and tugged at it, but she couldn't muster the strength to throw the door open._

"May?"

The hazy accident scene disappeared with a snap of the fingers in front of her face. May looked up, finding none other than Dawn Berlitz at her bedside doing everything she could to get her attention. Rather than respond, May looked around the hospital room she had been in for a full day now and groaned at the sight of it.

"Are you okay?" Dawn inquired as May began to straighten out her bedspread.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Being cooped up in this room is starting to drive me crazy though." May explained.

"I'll bet. Did they say how long you'd have to stay?"

"I _should_ be at home, but my mom wants me to spend the weekend for 'observation,'" May made air quotes and put on a poor imitation of her mother's voice as she said this. "Nothing serious happened to me, my neck and head just hurt a little bit."

"That's exactly why you _should_ be observed." Dawn pointed out with a gesture to the neck brace May wore.

"Bah, I'm totally fine!" May retorted as she raised a hand to wave off Dawn's comment. This sudden movement caused her to wince visibly and she had to lower her arm slowly back to its original position. "Okay, maybe I'm not _totally_ fine."

Dawn laughed as she dug into her bag, retrieving a notebook to show May the assignments she missed at school. As the two conversed, the door to her room burst open revealing her father, Norman, who came directly to her bedside. He needed a few moments to catch his breath before he started to speak.

"Dad, what are you doing here? I thought you had to be in Saffron City this week?" May asked him.

"Yes, I was. Until your mother sent me a picture of your car." He replied as he took out his phone. "I left as soon as I could this morning to get here. How are you feeling, are you okay?"

"Yeah, dad, I'm fine." She replied, perhaps with a sharper tone than she intended to. She had answered this question so many times in the past day that it was starting to get on her nerves.

"May, you can't tell me you're fine after something like this," Her father stated as he turned his phone to show her a picture of the condition of her car after the crash. May frowned at the sight of it, her memory of it still concealed behind the initial shock of the accident.

The front her car was totaled, the hood ajar, bumper missing, engine exposed. It was horrific, and that was after it had been separated from the car she had crashed into. Her father scrolled to the right to show her the other car. The passenger side had been smashed in, the windows shattered and one door having fallen off completely.

"Do you have any idea what it costs to fix this?" Her father asked.

May began to chew on her lower lip and averted her gaze.

"Thousands upon thousands of dollars, May," He answered for her.

"That's what insurance is for." She interjected and Norman needed a moment to breathe before he continued.

"That's not my point, _May_ ," He stressed her name, and she could sense that this was the introduction to one of his lectures. "Insurance is for accidents, not negligence. You ran a red light and could've _killed_ somebody. Do you understand that?"

She remained silent, causing Norman to sigh as he looked at the pictures.

"You're very lucky to have walked away from this. You could've died," Norman pointed out. "How does that sound?"

May didn't answer.

"That's all you have to say?" Her father asked as he put away his phone. May wouldn't even make eye contact with him. "You can't act like this forever. You're almost an adult, May, it's time to start acting and thinking like one. You can't ignore problems and expect them to go away-"

Her father's voice faded as her mind drifted away from the discussion.

She returned to the scene of the accident.

 _When the door to her car was pried open, she slumped onto the firefighter as he reached in to help her out._

 _He, along with an assistant, transferred her to a gurney._

 _The world was spinning as far as May was concerned._

 _She could hear the sirens of the ambulance and faintly smell the scent of smoke._

"May?"

The snap of Dawn's fingers brought May back to the hospital room. Her focus returned as she looked at her friend, whose brow was creased with concern.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Dawn asked her and May smiled softly to reassure her.

"Dawn, you're going to get wrinkles by the time you're twenty if you keep looking at me like that." May pointed out, which earned a laugh from her friend.

"Yeah, I know…and I probably would've pulled out all of my gray hair at that point, too." Dawn added and they spent a few moments giggling at the thought.

"Don't worry, I'm fine Dawn," May answered as she looked around her room. Her father was missing. "What happened to my dad?"

"He left a little while ago. He brought the hammer down, but…you weren't listening, were you?" Dawn inquired. She could tell that May wasn't really _there_ during her father's lecture.

"Not at all, did he say anything I needed to hear?"

Dawn pursed her lips.

"I kinda think you needed to hear all of it, May. He's upset for a reason." Dawn stated.

"Well yeah, that's obvious," She shrugged, "But it's not like it really matters to him. He's said this all to me before," She put on a poor imitation of her father's voice, "'You need to stop being so irresponsible. When you're an adult, all your bad decisions will come back to haunt you. You need to get your act together, _now_!'"

May laughed for a moment, but Dawn watched closely as her hands clutched at her bedspread.

"He thinks I'm not trying but," She shook her head. "I just keep messing up right now, it's driving me crazy. It's not like I wanted to crash into that guy, it just all happened so fast. And now, I keep seeing it all happen _again and again_ in slow motion. Every single time, I try to do something different but I can't. I keep seeing that guy turn to look at me just before I hit him. It's freaking me out!"

Dawn opened her mouth to offer some comfort, but there was a knock at the door. The bluenette was tempted to ignore it, recognizing that May needed support at this particular moment, but May's demeanor changed immediately. She plastered a smile on a face, one that made Dawn cringe.

"It's okay Dawn, you can go see who it is." May said to her with a gesture to the doorway. Dawn sighed and rose from her seat to answer the door. She was prepared to turn away whoever it was, perhaps with the exception of Norman, but the person that stood before her left Dawn standing in silence.

Raven hair, cocoa-colored eyes, and his signature cap.

Ash Ketchum.

He raised his brow at the sight of Dawn, his voice caught in his throat.

All they could do was stare at each other.

It had been so long since they last spoke, almost two months, not that either of them had been keeping track.

Dawn found her cheeks becoming hot under Ash's gaze, a feeling that now felt foreign. She had grown accustomed to Ash's unyielding gaze as she got to know him, and it still amazed her how he had no problem maintaining eye contact with someone. Embarrassment never seemed to cross his mind, although, for the first time since they met, he was the first to look away in one of their staring matches.

Neither of them could find the words to speak, but May came to their rescue.

"Dawn?" She called out from her bed. "Who's at the door?"

"It's Ash," Dawn responded as she stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

He gave a nod to Dawn as he passed and came up to the end of May's bed before he greeted the brunette.

" _Ashy_ , so good to see you!" May said cheerily, earning a narrow glance from Ash. "How are the girls doing?"

"They missed you yesterday, but don't stress over that," Ash replied. "So um, can I ask what happened? It's cool if you don't want to answer though, I understand."

"Uhh, yeah I'd rather just stay away from that subject right now. My dad just finished chewing me out like five minutes ago about all of this." May explained and Ash nodded to her.

"That's no problem," Ash said. "When I told Casey and Macy what happened, they wanted to know if you were alright. So, I just thought I'd drop by to see if you're okay."

"Ye-up. Totally fine here. The doctors told me I have a mild concussion and a…chest con- _tu_ -sion," She explained with a giggle. "I thought that word was funny. But yeah, nothing to worry about."

"Okay, that's good to know," Ash noted with a nod. "Do you mind doing a video call with me for a little bit. I just want them to see that you're okay."

"Oh sure, I'd love to!" May exclaimed.

As Ash turned away, May noticed that Dawn had maintained a considerable distance from Ash since his arrival. The girls made eye contact and May made a gesture toward Ash.

"Talk to him." She mouthed to Dawn. The bluenette shook her head in reply, causing May to throw her head back with a groan. This sudden action sent a jolt of pain through her neck and she cried out in pain.

"May, what's the matter?" Ash asked immediately as he turned back to her.

"Ugh, it's…it's nothing." She groaned, raising one hand slowly to assure him that she was fine.

"Are you sure? I can get a nurse if you need one." Ash offered but May shook her head, careful to do so slowly this time.

"I'm sorry, May, but I'm going to head off." Dawn cut in suddenly as she gathered her belongings.

"Yeah, its no biggie. See you later." May said as Dawn gave her a wave. With her bag slung over her shoulder, Dawn dipped out of the room with her eyes locked to her feet.

May was tempted to make a comment about Dawn bailing on her, but a glance at Ash kept her mouth shut. He was frowning at the doorway, nibbling on his lower lip with a hand on the back of his neck.

"Did you want to talk to her?" May asked him and he aimed the same expression at her.

"I want to, I'm just not sure if…if I should take the initiative or not." Ash replied.

"Well, I don't know if my place to say this, but as much as Dawn may not show it, she really does want a chance to talk with you again," May revealed, not that it was much of a revelation for Ash. "I really hope you guys do patch things up."

"I want to, but I really screwed up. That's why I don't want to force her to do anything," Ash explained, his hands raised. May shot him a glance.

"Wasn't it you who told me that I can't sit around waiting for other people to make the first move?" May asked, looking at him expectantly.

"Did I?" Ash asked her in return, avoiding eye contact.

"Yes, you did," May said immediately. "Don't be a little hypocrite, Ash! You were the one that convinced me to make the first move with Drew. Now I'm telling you that you have to do the same thing with Dawn."

Ash smirked with a small laugh. The easiest way to blackmail him was with his own words, and May did so wonderfully.

"Alright, you got me there. I'll try to do something next time I see her." Ash informed her, so May poked at his side.

"No, you should go straight to her house after you're finished here." She demanded and Ash scrunched up his face at her.

"Heck no."

 _"…your relationship with her will not progress any further than what it presently is. Am I clear?"_

The warning from Malcolm Berlitz came to Ash's mind. He knew better than to be so bold as to go knocking on the man's front door and ask for his daughter. If he wanted to speak with Dawn, that would have to happen exclusively at school. He thought of her expression when she opened the door to May's room. Her mouth had opened three times as if she wanted to start a conversation, but her voice failed her at every attempt. Ash breathed out a sigh and decided that he would give this a shot, for his sake and hers.

"Are you going to call your sisters now?" May asked, returning to the original reason for his visit.

"Oh yeah, let's do it."

* * *

 **Saturday, January 21st**

 _"Her vitals are stable, she's just in shock."_

 _"The impact with her steering wheel might have bruised her ribcage."_

 _"And a concussion most likely."_

 _Faintly, May could hear the voices of the paramedics, but the faces of these heroes were nothing but a blur in her peripheral vision._

A knock on her hospital door snapped May out her thoughts.

"Come in!" She called out.

As the door opened, a small child made her presence known immediately.

"May!" Macy shouted as she came running up to May's bedside.

"Macy!" May exclaimed in return. The small girl held a card in her hand, which she presented to May once Ash and Casey were with her at her bedside.

"We made this for you," Macy explained as Ash picked her up and sat her down at the edge of the bed.

"Really?" May said as she accepted the item. It was a handmade get well soon card. The cover art was illustrated by Ash, a pencil drawn portrait of May and Macy beaming for the camera. On the inside was a note from Casey on one side and Macy left her a little picture on the other side. She looked at the group of three, her eyes glistening. "You guys made this for me?"

"Yeah, of course, our mom is still in the hospital right now, so we know it sucks to be stuck here." Casey explained as she then offered up a plastic bag to May containing a variety of snacks and treats.

"Aww, you guys are awesome!" May declared as she gave Macy a bright smile. Then she looked to Ash to pose a question, "Don't you have a match today, Ash? Shouldn't you be out training?"

Ash shook his head, sporting a grin.

"Pikachu and I did so good that all our challengers chickened out, so the commissioner is still looking for another match for me," Ash explained for her. "So, I thought it would be a good idea to take it easy this weekend. We came to visit Cassidy, but I thought we'd stop by and check on you first."

"Are you going to be okay, May?" Macy asked her, pointing at the neck brace she wore.

"Oh yeah, Macy, I'm going to be okay." May replied as she placed a hand on Macy's head to reassure her.

"Then um, can you sing for me?" Macy asked with pleading eyes. May melted at the sight of them.

"Of course, Macy, I owe you a song from Thursday anyway." May pointed out as she motioned for Macy to come close. The small girl leaned against May's side and Ash was certain that he saw May wince from the pressure on her torso, but she merely adjusted to it and wrapped her arms around Macy. She closed her eyes and started by humming the tune of her song, rocking back and forth ever so slightly. Ash found himself tapping his foot, setting the beat for her as May arrived at her lyrics.

May sang softly, but her rich voice filled the room with ease. No matter how many times he heard her sing, Ash was always amazed. He had been trying to think of the right word for May's voice, but none seemed to fit the bill.

Pleasant? That was obvious.

Sweet? Again, that was obvious.

Beautiful? Not enough.

Mellifluous? Too much…

He'd figure it out one day, but not today, because once she hit the chorus, she demanded his full attention.

 _"Don't you worry 'bout a thing~, don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama."_

Ash raised his brow. Somehow, it felt like May's lyrics were directed at someone. That her words were more than a performance…that they were meant to be an assurance to someone.

Gradually, her song concluded, and May's eyes snapped open when a member of the staff began to clap. As she was singing, her voice had filled the corridor as well, drawing in a trio of nurses that had been passing by. When she realized she was the only one clapping, the nurse bashfully stopped with a chuckle. They praised May together, laughing as her cheeks turned a scarlet red and then they returned to their duties.

May turned scarlet red, thanking them robotically for listening to her. With time they filed out of her room, leaving her with just her original visitors.

"Oh god, that was awful." May muttered with a grateful sigh.

"What do you mean, you sounded great!" Casey said pointedly.

"But I hate singing in front of other people, especially total strangers." May grumbled out. Casey could sympathize with that. It reminded her of the presentation she had to give in her history class earlier this week.

"But you really have a gift, May," Ash said. "You can't keep that all to yourself."

"I shared it with you guys." She retorted, sticking out her tongue at Ash.

"It's not like you froze up in front of those people. Casey was right, you were great in front of them." Ash reasoned with her.

"I still don't like it."

"What did you think, Macy?" Ash asked his sister. "Do you think May should sing for everyone?"

"Yeah!" She declared proudly. "May is the best!"

"See?" Ash said as he shot May a smirk.

"Not doing it."

Ash rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. What you want to do with your voice is for you to decide," Ash said to her before he dropped the subject. "Macy, did you thank May for singing to you?"

"Thanks, May!" She chirped happily and May gave her one last hug before Ash took Macy up in his arms.

"We have to go see Cassidy now, see you later May." Ash said with a wave.

"Bye, May!" Macy called out as she and Casey gave May a wave.

Then May found herself all alone in her hospital room once again.

She gave a sigh as the smile she had put on for them faded. She leaned back against her pillow and allowed her gaze to become unfocused.

 _"You're almost an adult May, its time to start acting and thinking like one. You can't ignore problems and expect them to go away…" Norman, her father, berated her._

 _"I know your father can be overbearing at times, but just try to understand the way he sees this," Caroline, her mother, stated. "It's time to start seriously thinking about your future."_

 _"May, I'm really worried about you," Max, her twelve-year-old brother, said softly, having seen through May's façade. "Why are you acting like this?"_

"This is…who I am," She said softly. "A screw-up."

* * *

It was five o'clock in the afternoon when Ash opted to take the girls to the park again. The weather was clear all day, and the park was populated with parents and children from their neighborhood. Casey had run into a friend from school that was also there with a sibling and the two of them were yakking away on one of the benches. As always, Macy was among the kids in her own age group, racing around the playground in a game of tag.

Ash squatted at the edge of the playground under the shade of a tree, a soft smile on his face as he watched the activity of the children. He still wasn't quite sure why he was inclined to come to the park. The three of them were content spending the afternoon at home, but Ash suddenly got the urge to go outside.

Tracking Macy's movements, Ash let his mind drift back the rather bizarre week he just completed.

Exactly seven days ago, he had won his third match at the Hidden Cove and encountered Malcolm Berlitz, who paid him for his victories. Ash then 'tackled' his expenses, knocking out Cassidy's hospital bills, he provided Mr. Cheeves six months' worth of rent money and he restocked his supply of Potions for Pikachu.

On Wednesday, he received the amazing news that Cassidy had awakened from her coma. Seeing the girls with their mother struck his heart and validated all his work. It was all he needed to see to make the last three months' worth it.

But to follow such an uplifting event was May's car accident. She came away with only minor injuries, but after speaking with her on two occasions, Ash had a sneaking suspicion that the car accident had taken a greater toll on May than she was willing to show. Her usual free-spirited persona somehow felt… _forced_. He wasn't certain about it yet, but he would be sure to pay her another visit on Monday.

However, there were other subjects that were prodding the back of his mind. The conversation he had with Cassidy on Wednesday night. There was something strange about it all…but then again, strange couldn't even begin to describe that dream he had Saturday night.

Between flying on the back of a Pidgeot with Bianca the 'Bird Lady,' to Ninetales and that weird book, and then to top it all off there was that floating alphabet that was talking to him! That was _definitely_ a dream.

A glint of light hit his eyes, causing Ash to squint as raised a hand to block the source. When he gained focus, he saw something across the park reflecting the sun's rays straight onto his face. Positioning his hand in a way for him to properly view the source, Ash blinked several times to see if his eyes were deceiving him.

Across the park from him, seated next to a tree trunk was… _Ninetales_. The lustrous sheen of her mane was impressive in the sunlight, yet she went unnoticed by everyone else. Ash straightened up, and Ninetales rustled her tails with a smirk of pride at having gained Ash's attention. She looked to her right, and her gaze remained there for some time, so Ash followed her line of sight. Ninetales was looking down the pathway that traveled through the park. There was a bench every so often, and as Ash looked down the pathway, a head of striking blonde hair caught his attention.

Volkner, the 'Golden Flash.'

He was seated on a bench in the distance, a pair of Pidgey accompanying him.

When Ash looked back to Ninetales, she was gone.

It sent a chill down his back as he thought that he might have been hallucinating. Whether he was or not, Volkner was still there, and Ash didn't want to pass on an opportunity to talk with him. After all, Volkner was one of the Five Kings. Perhaps he might know something about Aaron Ketchum, another member of that elite group.

Ash went onto the walkway and stopped at the bench where Casey and her friend were seated.

"Hey, can you watch your sister for a bit? I'll be right back." Ash said to his sister.

"Okay, but where are you going?" She asked in return.

"A friend of mine is down there, I'm just going to talk with him." Ash explained as she pointed out Volkner for her. Casey gave him a nod and Ash went on his way.

Volkner sat on his bench without a care in the world, enthralled with the Pidgey that rested on his hand. Pidgey had no problem being observed, even spreading her wings for him to examine. Volkner paid no mind to Ash as he stood beside the bench, watching him curiously.

"Doesn't flight fascinate you?" Volkner asked him. Ash didn't quite know what to say, so he remained silent to see if Volkner would continue. "What do you think these Pokemon see when they're flying? All _we_ know is what it's like on the ground, but what do you think is waiting for us _up there_?"

Volkner looked skyward as he posed his question, and Ash joined him in doing so.

"I don't know." Ash said with a shrug of his shoulders. He looked back to Volkner who smiled at the sun gratefully.

"What we're all searching for…it's _up there_. We were given our wings for a reason." Volkner stated. "It's just a matter of figuring out how to spread them."

Ash gave him a narrow glance. The mention of 'wings' left him with an ominous weight on his shoulders. This was eerily similar to the discussion he had with Bianca. Was it possible that…that wasn't a dream?

"Can I ask you a few questions?"

Volkner finally made eye contact with him and motioned for Ash to take a seat beside him.

"Be my guest." Volkner said as Ash's invitation to proceed.

A test.

"How does someone spread their wings?" Ash inquired.

"I can't answer all your questions," Volkner replied. Ash frowned as he eyed the blonde cautiously.

It was the same answer that Bianca had given him.

Volkner shot him a crooked grin in return, as if he knew that he had confirmed Ash's suspicions.

"Okay then, how about this one," Ash continued, changing subjects and Volkner's smile faded. "What do you know about the Red Skulls?"

"Depends. What do you _want_ to know?"

"Their King. Aaron Ketchum, what do you know about him?" Ash clarified carefully.

Volkner sat still as he studied Ash. His eyes seemed to travel around Ash. Volkner then raised a hand to point at Ash.

"There's your problem." Volkner proclaimed, causing Ash to furrow his brow.

"What you talking about?"

"Let's follow the law of equivalent exchange for a moment, Ash. A question for a question." Volkner stated and Ash gave a nod to comply. "What is your heart's desire?"

"My heart's desire?" Ash repeated as he looked away from Volkner.

"Yes. What do you want more than anything else in the world?" Volkner clarified.

"I…" Ash paused as he took a moment to consider his answer.

Volkner watched him closely, or rather he watched Ash's wings. They were partially folded when he arrived and at the mention of his father, they receded further into his back. But as Ash contemplated his answer, his wings emerged again and spread out valiantly behind him. The sight of them gave Volkner goosebumps as Ash suddenly looked less like a teenager beside him, and more like an intrepid young man destined for greatness.

"What I want? I've always dreamed of Pokemon and people living together," Ash wore a smile as he spoke. "I can't really explain it, but something just doesn't feel right about living separately. It just feels like we were meant to be together. I don't really know what happened to make everyone afraid of Pokemon, but I want to correct that… _that's my dream_."

"So, tell me, what part does your father play in that?" Volkner questioned.

"What happened to equal exchange?" Ash interjected.

"Well, you asked me two questions actually." Volkner pointed out, forcing Ash to lean back against the bench as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Fine…" Ash grumbled. "He doesn't play a part in it."

"Exactly," Volkner stated. "So, forget about him. Focus on what matters."

Ash exhaled as he looked away. He had received advice like this from Volkner in their only other encounter.

"It's not that easy." Ash responded, drumming his fingertips against his thigh.

"You're making it, 'not easy.'" Volkner quoted him as he made another gesture toward Ash. "You have a big dream, one where you can't be sidetracked if you expect to accomplish it."

In his two meetings with Ash, Volkner had been very straightforward. He didn't beat around the bush and he wasn't afraid to make it apparent to Ash what was holding him back. But this wasn't like last time. Ash and Pikachu suffered their first major defeat because Ash allowed himself to get distracted during the battle. This time was different. It was far more personal, and Ash still found himself grasping tightly to the mystery surrounding his father.

"I'm not 'sidetracked,'" Ash quoted him in return, looking straight into his eyes. "This may not be relevant to my dream, but it's relevant to _me_."

The sharpness of Ash's eyes caused Volkner to frown. It wasn't going to be quite as easy to set Ash straight this time. The blonde man gave a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Alright then, let's try a different approach," Volkner muttered and Ash's brow became creased. "I want you to join me for some training starting next week."

"Wait, what?" Ash exclaimed at the sudden change in direction.

"I want you and your Pikachu to join me when I train." Volkner reiterated. "I think it'll be easier to speak with you through Pokemon than it be would with words."

* * *

 **A/N**

Well, its been a long time, my deepest apologies for the delay throughout June. As I said, it was busy for me so my time to write was minimal at best, plus the writer's block was a pain in the butt. Thankfully, I've weathered the storm and I'm now back to meeting my usual goals each week.

This little sub-plot surrounding May was giving me fits and it took me a long time to work through it. You all will get a chance to look deeper into it in the next chapter.

As always, I have a lot of little gems tucked away in this chapter, feel free to search for them and don't be afraid to ask me any questions, I'm always happy to talk!

Not much else to say this time around. My thanks for your continued patience with me! I really do appreciate it!

Also, many thanks go out to MjrGenMatt for his consistent help and oversight of this project!

See you all next time!


	31. Real Talk

**Chapter 31**

* * *

 **Monday, January 23rd**

Ash sat at the back of his third period literature class, using his hand as a rest for his chin as he looked out the window. The only part of his day that ever seemed to drag was the time between his art class and lunch, though he was willing to admit that it was this class in particular that seemed to go for an eternity. Ash didn't care much for the reading assignments he received, or for the discussions held in class about the assignments.

If they were told to use class time to read, Ash would oftentimes hide his phone within his book and go onto the PokeHub to find something more interesting to read. His choice to do so reflected on his relatively poor grade in the class, but Ash was more concerned with his budding career as a trainer. Not to mention he received a startling invitation over the weekend to train with one of the Five Kings of Vermilion City.

He planned to take full advantage of the opportunity. Anything that he could learn from Volkner was certain to help him grow as a trainer.

 _"Do you remember the beach you battled Brawly at? Meet me there at four o'clock on Friday afternoon." Volkner stated._

Ash relished the thoughts of facing one of the Five Kings as a practice opponent. While Giselle had always found a way to keep things interesting, with time Ash began to notice that their battles had become lopsided. He and Pikachu rarely struggled against her. Volkner, however, would be a test to see just how much farther he had to go before he could challenge his father to a match.

The bell chimed and the class was dismissed.

Collecting his belongings, Ash was among the last to leave. Entering the corridor, Ash joined the traffic as he traveled to his next class. As he moved, a hand was placed on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Hey Ash, long time no see."

Of all the people to approach him, it was Drew. They had hardly spoken since the double date they had with Dawn and May.

"What's up, Drew?" Ash asked him as they walked together.

"You have lunch with Dawn, May, and Nando right?"

Ash gave him a nod.

"Alright, I want to talk with you guys during lunch if that's alright."

"Uh, yeah, sure." Ash answered, earning a quick nod from Drew before he turned off into a corridor, leaving Ash to proceed on his course. Ash watched him go and frowned.

In all honesty, he had forgotten about Drew on several occasions. If it weren't for May mentioning him every now and then, Ash wouldn't have bothered to remember they were dating. Drew approaching him out of the blue left Ash to wonder what he could want to talk about with all of them.

* * *

Ash arrived early, though he hesitated to take a seat at the lunch table he had abandoned back in November. He felt uneasy at the thought of returning without an invitation from Dawn, not that she had kicked him out or anything. The two of them were just on…thin ice, perhaps? Hopefully, this talk with Drew might branch off into an opportunity to settle things with Dawn.

He took in a deep breath and proceeded to his old lunch table. As he got settled, Ash silently hoped that Dawn would be the first person to join him. May had coaxed him into taking the initiative, though he passed on it during their art classes this morning. Thankfully, he had been gifted another opportunity, by Drew of all people.

To his dismay, the bluenette arrived with Nando in tow and they both raised their brow at the sight of Ash. Nando was the first to speak when approached.

"Hey Ash, good to see you." He said kindly as he took a seat.

"Likewise. I haven't gotten to speak with you guys in a while." Ash noted.

"Yeah, I heard from Dawn that you've been really busy," Nando informed him and Ash tilted his head a bit as he looked toward Dawn. She looked away in response, causing him to purse his lips. "I take it Drew summoned you as well?"

"Yup, do you have any idea what this is about?" Ash asked in return.

"Not really, although I would guess it has something to do with May." Nando suggested.

"It does," Dawn interjected, receiving their attention. "He was texting me over the weekend. He said she was acting funny when he went to visit her at the hospital."

"Funny, how so?" Nando inquired. May was always… _funny_.

"Well, you know, weird for May then." Dawn clarified, causing Nando to stifle a laugh. Dawn looked at Ash. "I thought she was acting strange too. What did you think Ash?"

He exhaled and took some time to think. He spoke to May twice during the weekend and on both occasions, she seemed to be fine. It was the same old May as far as he was concerned.

"I couldn't really tell," Ash admitted. "If something is wrong with her, I didn't see it."

Before they could progress any further, Ash spotted Drew as he came out of the cafeteria, making his way toward their outdoor lunch table. He gave a sigh of relief once he was beneath the shade of the umbrella mounted at the center of the table, and he greeted the table by flipping his bangs. Dawn deadpanned, recalling how May would fawn over Drew whenever he did this.

"Thanks for meeting with me." Drew began.

"I've never seen you have lunch this period." Dawn noted. She was positive that Drew would've spent this time with May if they had lunch together.

"I don't, I'm actually skipping my literature class to be here, not that it matters," Drew replied before he waved off his answer. "What matters right now is May. I'm really worried about her."

"What exactly are you worried about?" Nando asked him, speaking for both Ash and Dawn, who were anxious to hear Drew's answer.

"I went to visit her Sunday but I picked an awful time to see her. She was fine at first, but then her dad came to see her and the two of them got into this huge argument," Drew explained. "After he left, she was super depressed. I tried to cheer her up a bit, but nothing was working."

"You know, her dad came by on Friday too," Dawn added. "And he gave a whole speech to her, but she didn't really listen to it."

"What did he talk about?" Drew asked her.

"More or less he was telling her that she needed to get her act together, that she was too irresponsible, stuff like that." Dawn explained, and a deep frown formed on Drew's face.

"That's what they were arguing about while I was there," Drew said. "She didn't even want to talk after her dad left. But I mean, I wouldn't be too keen on talking either after an argument with my parents."

"She's probably overwhelmed," Nando suggested. "She just had a car accident and I'm sure the last thing she needs right now is to argue with her family."

"They're all just worried about her, though, after the accident." Dawn pointed out.

"But they're doing more harm than good." Nando reasoned.

"May has always had problems with her parents though, her dad especially," Dawn revealed to them all. "I hate to put her business out there, but she doesn't really see eye to eye with her parents."

"How come?" Drew demanded to know. He spent ample time around May, but this was a subject that never came up.

"The firm her dad started, she told me that originally he was going to hand it down to her. But when her brother was born, her dad decided that it would be better to pass it along to a boy as opposed to a girl." Dawn explained for them, and Drew was left stupefied.

"Are you serious? That's some backward old-school crap." Drew said incredulously, shaking his head, "A woman can do any job a man can, and I know for a fact May would kick ass at anything she wanted to do."

"Try telling that her dad," Dawn muttered as she rolled her eyes.

"So, there's always been a rift between May and her dad?" Ash asked and Dawn gave a nod.

"May told me she used to work really hard because she wanted to make her dad happy and take over his business," Dawn went on. "Even though Max is the younger sibling, her dad decided that he would be the heir and May kind of…" Dawn shrugged her shoulders, "Stopped caring about a lot of stuff."

"Well, can you blame her? That's almost like a betrayal." Drew exclaimed.

"Drew, relax a little," Nando said with a gesture to match his request. "Betrayal is a bit much. Her father is just doing what he feels is best for his business."

"Are you actually defending him?" Drew asked him as he shot a sharp glance at Nando.

"Not at all. I'm only trying to understand what went through her father's mind to make such a decision," Nando responded calmly. "Obviously it affected May because, as Dawn said, she used to be focused. You can't say that about her currently."

"And what _are_ you saying about her then?" Drew was irate as he rose up from his seat.

"I understand that you're dating her, Drew, but you need to relax and become a neutral party at the moment," Nando advised him. Drew opened his mouth to reply, but Ash cut in to add to Nando's point.

"Drew, he's right. You want to help May, don't you?" Ash asked him, forcing Drew to swallow his response. "Whatever's going on with her isn't as simple as we thought."

Drew bit down on his lower lip and dropped back down into his seat. He needed a few moments to breathe and cool off before he spoke.

"Alright, I'm with you guys," Drew said with a nod. "So how does all of this fit together though?"

"Ummm," Dawn paused. "I'm not really sure how to put all of this together, but I think May probably feels like she disappointed her dad again with this car accident."

They agreed on this, and the subject moved to what they could do to improve May's mood. As the suggestions piled up, Ash was left frowning, though he kept his hidden by his hand.

This problem felt deeper than what they had discussed.

He thought of the song May sang to Macy.

 _"Don't you worry 'bout a thing~, don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama."_

Was May only trying to assure Macy that she was fine…or was she trying to reassure herself?

* * *

The bell chimed to mark the conclusion of Ash's school day, and he leaned back to stretch for a moment as the sound shuffling of paper and feet filled the normally silent library. It wasn't often that Ash stayed in school for the whole day since his last class was during seventh period, but he felt the need to sit down and think after the conversation he had with Drew. He preferred the total solitude of the library, as opposed to going home, where there was bound to be some commotion between Macy and Tierno, who was watching her for the first half of the day.

May's well being weighed heavily on his mind. Even after discussing this for the entirety of their lunch period, the group could only settle on thinking of ways to try and cheer her up. Their little meeting was adjourned with the agreement that they would each go visit May once she returned home and see if they could make a little progress with her.

Ash collected his backpack from beside his seat and threw it over his shoulder as he stood up. He still wasn't quite sure what he would do. Drew and Dawn had immediately come up with some plans for what they would, sharing them at the table during lunch.

Ash rolled his eyes at Drew's cliché plan of having a bouquet of roses waiting for her when she returned home from the hospital, but according to Dawn, May loved that sort of thing. Dawn, on the other hand, was planning to take May to a yoga class during the weekend to help with her recovery, and it would give them ample time to talk some more without her parents around. Nando didn't have an immediate answer, but he also didn't strike Ash as the type of person to blurt out his plan the way Dawn and Drew were doing.

However, Ash was stuck. He couldn't think of a plan, and it was killing him. May had been such a tremendous help with the girls over the last few months and here was an opportunity to pay her back and he was floundering like a Magikarp out of water.

With a groan, he turned onto the ramp that led down to the exit of the library, passing the bulletin board as he went. Out of the corner of his eyes, a colorful poster caught his attention and forced Ash to stop and look.

It was an advertisement for the school's talent show next month, the poster featuring none other than Aria, the Kalos Queen, and a suggestion to onlookers that 'this could be you!' There was a signup sheet beneath the poster that was partially filled along with a notice that the cut date for applying was tomorrow. The sight of Aria performing in this poster caused Ash to envision May in her place.

She had a beautiful singing voice but…May _hated_ singing in front of other people. She made a special exception for Ash and his sisters but what if…what if she managed to overcome whatever it was that was stopping her?

* * *

"You guys too!?" May exclaimed at the sight of Ash and his sisters entering her hospital room. She was sitting upright on her bed and she greeted them a large smile.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked as they came to the bedside.

"Drew and Dawn were here earlier, you just missed them," She explained before she took a glance at the clock.

"Oh, that's too bad," Casey said. "I would've liked to see Dawn again."

"Did you guys stop by to see your mom?" May asked them.

"Yeah! She's good!" Macy announced as Ash placed her on the edge of May's bed.

"I'm glad." The brunette said as Macy shuffled closer to her.

"Ashy said you'd sing for me." Macy said which earned a laugh from May.

"Of course, Macy." May replied warmly as she invited the girl into her arms.

"I want the song you did last time." Macy requested and May complied.

"Just close the door this time." She said to Ash. Once she heard the door click as a confirmation that it had closed, May began to hum the intro to her song. While Macy was enthralled with May's small performance, Ash and Casey fiddled with their phones to pass the time. They shared a quick nod when May finished singing and tucked away their devices.

"Hey May, just out of question, are you singing to anyone in particular with that song?" Ash inquired as he took a seat on the chair near the end of her bed.

"Ummm…" She hesitated and looked up in thought. "I would say that I'm singing to everyone, to be honest."

Her answer came with a sigh, causing Ash to observe her intently.

"How come?"

"Well, I can tell everyone's really worried about me. My dad thinks I'm just an irresponsible mess and you know what…he's probably right. I don't know what I'm going to do after I graduate from high school," May admitted. "I wish I was like you guys. I mean, just look at all the people I hang out with. You wanted to be a Pokemon trainer and you made it happen. Dawn wants to be a designer, Nando is going to be a musician. Even Drew knows what he's going to do."

"Really? What does he want to become?" Ash asked her.

"He wants to go into broadcasting and become a news anchor." May answered and Ash scrunched up his face, trying to envision Drew with such a job. It didn't take him long though, as he immediately envisioned Drew flipping his bangs flamboyantly in front of the cameras. Ash stifled a laugh at the thought.

"Wow, um, that's not what I expected."

"Yeah, me neither," May said softly as she looked down at Macy. Her face contorted as she fought to keep up her carefree exterior, further tightening her hold on Macy. The small girl leaned her head back into May's torso and looked up, her wide and innocent eyes detecting May's plight.

"May, are you okay?" She asked softly.

That was her breaking point.

The past four days had been littered with visits from family and friends and phones calls from people she barely knew. As strange as it might have sounded, they were all suffocating her with their concern!

"I just want everyone to stop worrying about me," May stated after a deep breath. "I know I'm not making it easy for that to happen, especially after the accident, but it's not like I go around looking for trouble. So what if I'm not the best student or the most responsible daughter, _nobody's perfect_. So, I just wish that all of you would get off my case and let me figure things out. I feel awful having all these people breathing down my neck waiting for the next time I mess up!"

Ash held back his response in an attempt to piece together what he had learned.

It all stemmed from May's desire to please…everyone. She was afraid of failing them, and in turn, was denying her own abilities and talents.

"Does it really matter if you mess up?" Casey asked her. May tightened her hold on Macy.

"It does," May stated. "I'm tired of it. I don't want to disappoint anyone."

Casey looked at May, her lips pursed. She didn't know what to say, not that anyone could blame her. Seeing Casey's expression, May put on a smile for her.

"I'm sorry for moping around in front of you guys," May apologized. "You all came to check on me, and here I am being a sourpuss."

She tried to laugh for them, though it was strained, which caused Ash to cringe.

"Really, thank you guys for coming to visit me," May went on as she released Macy, allowing Ash to take her. "The next time you drop by, I promise; I'll be in a better mood."

"Don't worry about it, May," Ash assured her. "Everyone has good days and bad days, we don't think any less of you, right girls?"

Casey gave her a nod while Macy turned to place a kiss on May's cheek. Ash joined them in giving May a great smile and an agreement that they would come to visit her once she returned to her home.

Once they had left May's hospital room, the first thing they did was make their way to a vending machine for Ash to fulfill his promise.

 _"Macy, I want you to ask May to sing the same song for you again, okay?" Ash established this with Macy as they made their way up to May's room. "I'll get you your favorite candy afterward."_

"Horray!" Macy exclaimed as she received a box of chocolate-covered wafers. Her favorite treat!

"What can I get you?" Ash asked Casey.

"Eh, I don't really want anything." Casey answered softly as Ash got himself a cinnamon roll.

"Are you trying to figure out what you could've said to help May?"

Casey gave a sigh.

"She's usually so happy. I didn't like seeing her like that, but I didn't know what to say to her." Casey explained.

"That's okay," Ash said as he popped open the wrapping around his cinnamon roll. "You can't always make everyone feel better when they're sad. Sometimes all you can do is let them talk for a while and try again later."

"So then, do you have any ideas for next time?" Casey asked him curiously, causing Ash to turn to her, working on a mouthful of the cinnamon roll. Ash raised a hand for her to wait, causing Casey to roll her eyes. He swallowed and shot a grin at his sister.

"Yeah, I've got a little something in mind."

* * *

 **Tuesday, January 24th**

Ash stepped back from the bulletin board in the library with a grin. His eyes rested firmly on the talent show signup sheet and the name that he had just added to the list.

May Maple.

Taking out his phone, he raised it to take a snapshot of the sheet, which he then sent to May in a text message. Her response came even faster than Ash was expecting.

"WHO DID THAT?"

"I did." Ash replied with a snort.

"WHAT THE HELL ASH!"

He snickered as his phone was flooded with messages from May, none of which he bothered to read because the entrance to the library opened beside him. A head of purple hair popped in, and she smiled warmly at the sight of Ash.

"Monsieur Ash, how nice to see you!" Fantina exclaimed, but she remained focused on her task. She approached the bulletin board to claim the sheet that Ash had remove the sign-up sheet for the talent show, and she scanned the list briefly. "Oh, that's interesting, how did May sign up for the talent show. She hasn't been in school since last week."

"Oh, I signed her up." Ash cut in causing Fantina to look toward him with her brow lowered.

"Are you sure she's up for it?" Fantina inquired. "I know she's not well, _pour le moment_."

"Actually, I was talking with her over the weekend, and I know it may not be my place to say all this, but I think May needs this. She's has something on her mind, and I think she needs a way to express herself and maybe find her confidence again, while she's at it." Ash explained, causing Fantina to don a great smile.

"It's fabulous that you are so concerned about your friend, monsieur!" Fantina declared, causing Ash's cheeks to redden. However, her smile faded and her demeanor became somber. "But unfortunately, today is the cutoff date. I need to have an idea of what she intends to during the show."

"Wait, so you're the person in the charge?" Ash asked her, and Fantina gave him a small nod. "Oh, that's great, I actually thought ahead and got a little something ready for you. I recorded her just in case you needed to hear her."

Fantina's bright persona was restored instantly.

" _Suis moi_! Show me at once!" Fantina exclaimed as she took Ash by the hand and dragged to the seating area in the library. The number of students had dwindled considerably to just those who stayed after school to study in the solitude of the library. Fantina was careful to keep avoid distracting them as she and Ash found a table to sit at.

Ash found the recording of May and adjusted the volume for Fantina to listen comfortably. He couldn't help but laugh at Fantina's transformation over the course of May's song. Originally, she had been quite composed, seated with her usually elegance and poise. But by the end of the song, Fantina was looming over Ash's phone, gawking at May's incredible voice.

"Is this really…May?" Fantina asked softly.

"Yup." He said with a nod.

" _Sacre bl_ e _u_ ," Fantina muttered. "She is _magnifique_ , she must be in the show!" Fantina's voice grew loud with exuberance, "Tell her at once, she will be the main event! The show is the tenth of February and,"

The librarian, Miss Yumi, shushed her harshly and Fantina turned bright red when she realized most of the room was staring at her.

" _Je suis desole,"_ Fantina apologized to everyone repeatedly and once the focus shifted away from her, she resumed her conversation with Ash _quietly_. "Tell her to practice, I'm looking forward to seeing her on stage. She will blow everyone away."

"Gotcha." Ash said softly.

"So, is she having any sort of musical accompaniment?" Fantina asked next.

Ash refrained from palming his forehead.

"I didn't even think of that." He mumbled.

"I would hope she finds something to match her tremendous voice," Fantina noted and Ash agreed. A proper ensemble would only amplify May's voice. "So, if you don't mind me asking, how are things with your… _mademoiselle_?"

Ash furrowed his brow, so Fantina shot him a wink.

"Dawn?"

Fantina nodded.

"Eh…" Ash paused and looked away from Fantina. "Not well."

"I've noticed that you two haven't been as close as you were before."

"Yeah, that's true," He replied flatly with a shrug of his shoulders. "The last time we spoke things didn't go as well as I hoped they would."

Fantina leaned back into her chair and crossed one leg over the other, which Ash took as a gesture to continue. She had gotten comfortable in her seat, though she sat in a manner befitting of a ' _mademoiselle_.'

"Dawn is a special girl," Ash remarked with a glint of mirth in his eyes. He thought fondly of the time they spent together, the little laughs and brief staring contests. He really did enjoy being around her, but then he thought of Nando and the way he cherished her so dearly. "Someone like her deserves a guy that's going to love her to pieces."

Fantina watched him speak with a faint smirk.

"It's commendable that you want to devote yourself to Dawn so fervently," Fantina noted, causing Ash to blush wildly.

"That's…well, I mean, if I was going to start dating her, I'd want to give it my all," Ash admitted, but his face grew stern and his eyes focused. "But I already know that I couldn't 'devote myself to Dawn,' I have something else that I believe is more important to me than Dawn ever could be…and I don't want her to feel like she's always going to be in second place in my life."

Fantina cocked her eyebrow and beamed at Ash.

"Monsieur, you will grow up to be a fine man. I only hope that you one day find someone that will always be by your side." Fantina commented and it was Ash's turn to smile.

He already had someone that matched that description perfectly.

"I'm not worried, I've had someone like that for a long time now." Ash stated.

"Even so, I see you value your friendship with Dawn," Fantina noted. "This could be the opportunity you need to patch things up with her."

Ash pursed his lips skeptically.

"How so?"

"Dawn and May are very close friends. Help Dawn help May," Fantina said quite simply. "This little plan of yours, let Dawn take part."

Ash stopped to consider this…he hadn't even thought of trying to get Dawn to help him. May had already stressed to him that she didn't want anyone besides his sisters to know about her voice. She was just being unreasonably stubborn about it, which seemed to be counterintuitive since she was searching for a way to assure everyone that she was fine. _This_ was her way to accomplish that!

Ash gave a small nod. He would put May's feelings aside for now. He wanted to help and enlisting the help of her best friend was probably the best choice he could go with.

"Alright, I'll do it." Ash declared.

* * *

Ash found just the people he was looking for.

Dawn and Nando were outside of the cafeteria where Nando was playing his cello in front of a small audience that included Dawn, of course.

The looks he got from Nando's audience when he asked Nando to stop playing were a little disheartening, but Ash focused on the task at hand. As the small crowd dwindled down to just, he, Dawn, and Nando, Ash pushed aside the unease within him and spoke.

"I'm sorry for breaking up your performance Nando," He began. "So, I'll get straight to the point. I think I've thought of a way to help May, but I need help from you two."

Dawn and Nando shared a glanced and then they both gave a gesture for Ash to continue. In response, Ash whipped out his phone to show them the recording of May. Nando's expression was priceless, to say the least. He looked absolutely mystified, unable to believe that this was May he was listening to. Dawn, on the other hand, wore a neutral expression and Ash felt a sneaking suspicion that Dawn had always known about May's singing voice.

"She's…phenomenal." Nando said softly as he looked toward Ash.

"Whenever she sings, it feels like she's trying to say something that…I don't know, something that she can't say as herself…I guess," Ash struggled to find his words, taking a moment to stroke at his chin. "Whatever it is she wants to say; I think singing is the only way she can say it."

"So, what is it that you intend to do?" Nando inquired.

"I signed her up for the talent show." Ash said simply.

Dawn snorted, doing everything in her power to hold back a fit of laughter. Ash never failed to amaze her. One minute he was like a scalpel, able to address an issue with the finest precision. And then at the drop of a hat, he was like a sledgehammer, tackling a problem with brute force.

"The talent show," Nando nodded at the thought. "If she were to perform with her voice, the crowd would be mesmerized."

"I keep telling her that, but I guess she doesn't want to the attention or something," Ash said with a shrug. "Either way, that's where I need your help," He pointed at Nando. "Ms. Fantina suggested that May have an accompaniment, and I knew you'd be the perfect person for it, Nando."

"I would be honored." Nando exclaimed. The thought of working with May's voice must have really appealed to Nando because once he had a copy of the recording, he packed up his belongings and rushed off to Mr. Juan's room to start composing.

This left Ash and Dawn alone in an awkward silence.

Dawn watched him quietly, averting her gaze whenever Ash looked at her. After roughly a minute of silence, Dawn gave a sigh and reached to collect her bag as well. If Nando was gone than she had no reason to stay. As she rose from her seat, Ash began to chew on his lower lip before he reached out to take a hold of her wrist.

"Uh-um, ho-hold on Dawn," Ash stammered out as she looked back at him, startled by his sudden movement. "I…I wanted to talk to you too."

She furrowed her brow.

"Talk?" She repeated before she looked away, pulling her wrist free from Ash's gaze. "I'm sorry Ash but, I don't think now is the time."

"But we don't have to talk about us," Ash stated, the firmness in his voice returning which forced her to look back at him. "I know we have something to settle, but right now, I think we should put all that aside and focus on May. She needs our help."

Dawn stood there for a moment. As much as her instincts wanted her to get as far from Ash as possible, her conscious argued against this. May _did_ need their help. If Ash was trying to help her, Dawn wouldn't be able to forgive herself for turning a blind eye. The bluenette gave a sigh to calm herself and settled down in her seat at the table alongside Ash.

"So, you're just planning to dump May in the talent show and hope this all works out?" Dawn asked him for clarification. Ash pursed his lips at the simplification of his plan.

"That's…one way to put it."

"And let me guess, she doesn't even want to do the show, does she?" Dawn continued. Ash sucked in his lips and averted his gaze, further proof to Dawn that her hunch was correct.

"No. I was kind of hoping I could get your help to convince her that she should do it." Ash answered and Dawn gave a nod.

"Yeah, I thought so," Dawn mumbled as she rolled her eyes. "How long have you known that she could sing?"

Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Like two months, I think," He replied as he tilted his head at Dawn. "She wanted to me keep it a secret from you especially, but with the way you're talking, I think it's safe to say that you always knew."

"Yeah, since our freshman year," Dawn said and Ash's dumbfounded expression earned a chuckle from Dawn. "I didn't want to force her to sing or anything until she was ready."

"Wow, you've known for almost four years?" Ash exclaimed. It would've driven him mad to know May was doubting her own ability for so long. "That's some next-level kind of patience, Dawn."

Dawn tucked this little compliment into the back of her mind.

"But I don't know if waiting on her is the best approach at this point, I mean, you've been waiting for almost _four years_ ," Ash reiterated incredulously. "I think she might need a little push…" Ash shot her a sly grin. "If you know what I mean?"

Dawn remembered when May had given her a little push to ask Ash out on a date.

 _"Think of this as a little nudge…"_

Dawn felt a cheeky grin cropping up on her face. Now was her time to return the favor.

* * *

Stage fright.

It was obvious that this was May's hurdle.

She wanted no part of appearing before an audience.

And she made that evident when Dawn and Ash approached her about the talent show.

"Absolutely not! _And that's final_!"

Ash and Dawn found themselves outside of May's room at the Maple household, cringing as the door was slammed in their faces.

"Well, that didn't go as well as I hoped." Ash muttered as he and Dawn turned away from the door.

"To be honest, I wasn't really expecting her to agree to it." Dawn admitted.

"Oh, so you just let me walk into that minefield, huh?" Ash asked her with a narrow glance. Dawn stuck her tongue out at him. "So, what should we do from here?"

"Hmm, the show is on February 10th, so we still have plenty of time to talk to her." Dawn pointed out.

"But between practicing on her own and with Nando, she's going to need as much time as possible." Ash countered before Caroline, May's mother, stepped into the corridor with a small grin.

"I take it things didn't go too well?" She asked with a gesture for them to follow her back downstairs to the kitchen. Ash's subdued expression was answer enough.

Ash and Dawn had given Caroline the gist of their plan when they arrived earlier. She merely told them to give it a shot, not that she was expecting much from it.

"I just don't get it though, May seems like the type of person who would love performing in front of a crowd." Ash noted, earning a laugh from Caroline as they arrived in the kitchen. Max was seated at the island at the center of the room, his nose buried in a textbook.

"She was when she was younger. We lived in Fuchsia City for a while before we moved here, and back then, when she was about…eight I'd say, May used to be a part of a children's choir," Caroline explained as she invited Ash and Dawn to have a seat with Max while she made them a snack. "The instructor gave her a solo at the biggest recital of the year, and May was so excited."

Dawn laughed at the thought of an eight-year-old May practicing her solo in the mirror.

"How did it go?" Ash asked as Caroline returned with a small bowl of fruit and granola for each of them.

"It was a disaster," Caroline said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. There was a mix up that night and the gown she received was a size too big so it dragged. She stepped on it and tripped as she was going up for her solo next to the conductor. In an attempt to keep her balance, May grabbed onto the conductor and tore his pants down with her. Everyone started laughing, but for May," Caroline shook her head, "She was mortified."

Max adjusted his glasses with a crooked grin and made the offer to show it to them in real-time. Caroline had recorded the event and still had a copy of it, which Max was happy to share. Any attempt Ash made to sympathize with May was brought to an end at the sight of the conductor's hot pink boxers and the expression on his face just screamed 'did that really just happen?!'

Ash roared with laughter, though it was short-lived because Dawn jabbed him with her elbow as a reminder that this was May he was laughing at. It was funny, there was no denying that. But the battle he had with Brawly soon came to mind. While his blunder may not have been as amusing as May's, he understood what she must have felt after doing that in front of an audience.

Ash had talked himself out of his slump with Shauna the very next day after that loss. For May, years had passed, and she still had yet to move forward. A simple pep talk from him wouldn't be enough to get her going. She needed to talk to someone who fully understood what performers went through.

"I gotta make a phone call," Ash said as he rose up from his seat. He left the kitchen as he brought his phone to his ear, waiting for the person on the other end to answer.

"So, what do you think about our plan?" Dawn asked Caroline curiously.

"Well…" Caroline paused; her lips pursed as she considered what she knew. "I've been worried about her since the accident. She's been in a bit of a funk and I think this could be just what she needs to get herself going again."

"Yeah, I thought the same thing," Dawn noted. "But this is May we're talking about; I know she'll bounce back."

"I hope so. This house can be awfully quiet when May isn't herself." Caroline said with a shrug.

"I prefer it this way." Max interjected with a smirk.

"Oh please, you can act tough all you want Max, I know you love your sister." Caroline said with one brow raised.

"Mom!" Max whined with scarlet cheeks. Caroline merely shot a wink at her son, causing his blush to deepen before he snatched up his textbook and left the room in a huff, claiming that he needed a secluded spot specifically for studying.

Dawn snorted at Max's exit and shared a brief laugh with Caroline.

Ash made his return with a triumphant grin on his face which earned a question from Dawn.

"What's got you so pumped up?" She inquired.

"I called in a favor," Ash replied. "I got just the right people to help May work through her stage fright."

"Oh really?" Caroline said as she tilted her head. "And who might that be?"

Ash beamed in reply.

* * *

 **Wednesday, January 25th**

It was late in the afternoon when Caroline's doorbell was rung twice. Upon opening her front door, she was greeted cheerfully by Dawn Berlitz and Ash Ketchum, accompanied by three people that matched their exuberance.

"Ah, it's good to have you back Ash, Dawn-y," Caroline began as she invited the group into her home. "And these must be the friends you mentioned yesterday."

"Yup, this is Tierno, Brock, and Serena." Ash stated as he introduced each of them. Serena gave a grateful nod, but Brock and Tierno were more concerned with looking around at the sizeable foyer of the Maple household.

"Holy moly, your house is _huge_!" Tierno couldn't hold back the comment any longer. He had been over to the east side of Vermilion City a handful of times, and the homes here mirrored the crazy stories that he had heard.

The east side…where one house is as big as a city block, where the streets are paved in gold… _the land of the wealthy!_

Caroline stifled a laugh at their awe.

"We were fortunate." Caroline replied.

"Well, _I want_ some of your fortune." Tierno exclaimed innocently, but an awkward silence set in.

"Geez, you couldn't have made that sound any worse big fella." Brock muttered as he shook his head.

"Well if you think this house is big, Tierno, you should see Dawn's house," Ash interjected. "Now that is a _huge house_!"

"What's the matter with the two of you?" Serena whispered harshly at the duo. Ash and Tierno only snickered, causing Serena to puff out her cheeks with a groan.

"So, tell me, Ash, how are you guys going to help my May?" Caroline asked them kindly.

"These guys," Ash made a gesture toward his friends. "Are bonified performers, they've done real shows this past summer. If anyone knows what it's like to mess up on stage, its these guys."

Brock jabbed Ash's side, earning a yelp from him.

"Why do you have to make it sound like we don't know what we're doing?" Brock asked him, but before Ash could give a cutting remark, Brock turned his attention to Caroline and spoke with a newly gained sense of professionalism. "Ignore Ash. We're part of a perfectly capable group of dancers that have put on a number of well-reviewed shows."

"Oh really, that's great!" Caroline exclaimed as she clapped her hands. "What's the name of your group?"

"The Jive Steppers!" Tierno declared as he tapped his chest. Serena deadpanned at the mention of the name.

"The Jive Steppers?" Caroline repeated.

"I thought we were changing that name." Serena said to Brock who pursed his lips as he looked away.

"Well, no one came up with any suggestions so I just stuck with the name Tierno gave us." Brock offered as an answer.

"And it's a good name!" Tierno hollered.

"It certainly is a good name," Caroline spoke up. "Jive is actually like, a subcategory of swing dancing which was really popular when I was a teenager. It's actually quite fitting that your friend here selected that name for you all."

"Swing dancing?" Brock said, his brow furrowed.

"Mhmm, it was very popular in Unova back in the day…in fact, let me show you!" Caroline ushered them into the kitchen where her tablet was waiting on the counter. She quickly opened a web browser to show them a video of swing dancing.

It was a fantastic twelve-minute video of different couples performing in a gymnasium to some up-tempo music. The stylings of a classy clarinet, sanguine saxophone, tantalizing trumpet, and subline string bass filled the room. The dancers were nothing short of amazing, earning several shouts of astonishment from the group as they watched.

"Holy crap, that was awesome!" Brock exclaimed.

"That looks like so much fun, we definitely have to try working this into a routine, Brock!" Serena added.

"Thank you, Tierno," Tierno said which triggered a pause. Brock and Serena shared a glance.

"Huh?" Serena said.

"Thank you, Tierno…is what you guys should be saying." Tierno continued a grin plastered on his face. He placed a hand on his chest triumphantly as his monolog continued, "Thank you for naming our group after this amazing style of dance. If only we had realized sooner what a genius you are!"

"Oh, shut it!" Brock and Serena snapped at him and Tierno bellowed with laughter.

"He's never going to let them live this down now." Ash informed Caroline and Dawn with a chuckle.

Watching the trio converse, Caroline found herself laughing openly with them. They had an interesting dynamic and she began to believe that this group could help her daughter. And right on cue, May entered the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about.

"What are you guys doing here?" May exclaimed at the sight of all of them.

"What's up, May?" Brock asked as a greeting.

"We heard about your car accident," Tierno added.

"So, we dropped by for a visit." Serena continued as the three of them approached her. Brock and Tierno each took one of her hands, and Serena began to push May from behind to escort her over the island with the rest of them.

As everyone got situated at the center of the kitchen, May bombarded them with questions. Once they were settled in their seats, Brock raised a hand to silence her so that they could get started.

"First things first," Brock began. "A little birdie showed us a recording of your singing, May."

May turned bright red.

"What!?" She shrieked and her gaze shot to Ash. He was the only person here that she had sung in front of recently. "This again, Ash?! First the talent show, and then you secretly record me to show it to everyone? What's your problem?!"

"Don't get upset with Ash," Dawn came to Ash's defense in an effort to quell May's frustration.

"I'm not upset," May stated as she shot Ash a death glare. "I'm _furious_!"

"May, calm down." Caroline insisted.

"But we talked about this, I swore you to secrecy!" May proclaimed as she pointed at Ash.

Ash held a neutral expression despite May's outburst. He expected as much from her. He knew that he was overstepping his boundaries by showing that recording of her or even making it in the first place. So, he was ready and willing to take the verbal assault.

"May, there's no reason to keep your voice a secret," Brock pointed out. "You have something really special."

"I don't care about that; Ash and I had an agreement. I haven't told anyone, but look at how many people know thanks to him!" May said indignantly as she looked around at the group.

"I'm just a little curious, why is it that you don't want anyone to know you can sing?" Serena asked her. May paused, her temper cooling somewhat as she thought about her answer.

"Uh…it's not that I don't want people to know, it's that expectations tend to change on if you're good at something or not," She explained to them. "I don't want all of these expectations on me before I even get a chance to do anything."

Caroline furrowed her brow as she observed her daughter.

"What do you mean?" Serena pressed.

"I just don't want…to let anyone down when I don't meet their expectations." May answered with a frown.

"I get what you mean," Tierno said with a nod and May sent a glance in his direction. "Maybe not exactly what you're dealing with, May, but I know it's a battle when you're going against people's expectations. I mean, just look at me for example. Do you think anyone is going to expect me to be a good dancer?"

"I…I still can't believe you're a good dancer, Tierno," May admitted softly.

"See, people judge me before I even get to show my stuff. They look at me and say, 'what's that fat guy going to do, _fall over_?'" Tierno said with a small laugh. "If people want to make assumptions or expect me to fail, I say 'go ahead!' But I'll be first in line to hear what you say about me after I'm finished performing. So what if I'm part of the 'larger' variety of people, that doesn't mean I can't be good at dancing."

"You may be _big-boned_ Tierno, but you're also _badass_." Brock stated and Tierno beamed as they bumped fists.

"Respect," Tierno said before he turned his attention back to May. "First thing to keep in mind, you don't need everyone's approval, because let's face it, it doesn't matter how great you are at something, there's always going to be that one person that you can't please."

May thought of her father.

"But what if I screw up on stage, I don't know if I could live with myself," May looked down, concealing her face with her bangs.

"What is it that you're afraid of, May?" Tierno inquired with his head tilted.

"I'm just tired of messing up all the time," She stated. "The last thing I want to do now is put myself out on a stage to mess up in front of an audience because…even with all the practice in the world, I know I'll find a way to ruin it all."

"Wait, do you think we're perfect when we perform?" Brock asked her. May didn't answer. "That couldn't be farther from the truth."

May raised her head to meet Brock's gaze.

"That can't be true. You guys are like a machine when you perform. Everyone does exactly what they're supposed to do." May expressed.

"No, no, we mess up all the time, even during our actual performances." Tierno cut in.

"But I've seen some of your routines," May pointed out. "You guys are _always_ perfect!"

"That's what you might think," Brock said as he scratched at his chin. "But like Tierno said, we mess up all the time."

"Really?" May exclaimed as she looked from Brock to Tierno, and then to Serena. Each of them confirmed this with a nod.

"Messing up is just a part of the performance itself. I mean, what is a perfect performance?" He asked her.

"It's a…a performance where no one made a mistake." She stated.

"And tell me what you remember about that 'perfect performance?'"

"That everyone did their part."

Tierno nodded.

"And did their performance leave any sort of impression on you?"

May opened her mouth to reply, but she needed some time before she gave a reply.

"Well, they were flawless but I guess not." She answered.

"A good performance isn't one that's mistake-free, a good performance is one that your audience remembers," Tierno paused for a moment and then he added, "One that they learn something from."

"But what could someone learn from watching me mess up?" May asked him.

"How to persevere," He responded immediately. "How to be strong…how to teach yourself not to give up no matter what's happening around you."

May's mouth hung open for a moment as she looked at Tierno. This was a different side of him that she was seeing. He was always so goofy whenever she ran into him at Ash's house, but seeing him so serious was a little surprising.

"Tell me this," Tierno continued. "Ash said you sing for Macy pretty often, what do you feel when you sing for her?"

"I feel…nervous," May replied as she held her stomach. "And queasy and…like my heart is going to jump into my throat for me to choke on it."

"So, if you feel like that, why do you sing for her?" Tierno went on.

"Because her mom's not there right now, and I want her to feel safe the same way mom would do for me when I was her age," May stated with certainty. Caroline's eyes widened as she raised a hand to her chest, her lips curving upward into a faint smile.

"So, when you finish singing for Macy, and you see her smile, what do you feel?"

"My heart kind of…flutters," May said softly. "It makes me so happy to see her happy."

"And that's why we work through our mistakes on stage, because we know we can make a difference," Tierno said as he donned his usual grin. "Even if it's just one person that we affected out of like, three hundred people, we did our jobs as performers."

"And just so you know, May, I get nervous and scared too," Serena added, "But just like you if I see a smile after I'm done performing, it all feels worthwhile."

"In fact, let's make that the goal," Brock interjected. "The next time you sing for Macy, just think about her smile while your singing and I promise you, you'll feel a lot better."

"Okay, I'll remember that." May said with a nod.

With that said, Ash jumped to the heart of the issue.

"Will you perform in the talent show?"

May hesitated with her answer, so the only person that could speak for her did just that.

"Yes, she will." Caroline declared.

"Mom!" May exclaimed.

"There's no backing out of this," Caroline said firmly. "I want you to do this, it's what you need to do right now."

"Ugh fine, I'll do it!" May said as she turned away from everyone with a huff, but she hid her smile.

Caroline beamed at her daughter while Ash and Dawn exchanged high fives with the group.

"You know Tierno, when you were talking about how she sings to Macy, it almost sounded like you've been there before." Serena noted with a sly grin.

"Eh, I might have heard her sing to Macy a time or two." Tierno confessed.

"What?!" May exclaimed. "You heard me singing to her? When?"

"Back in December, I just didn't bother to say anything."

"No way!"

Brock raised his hand.

"I also heard you sing for Macy a couple of times too." Brock admitted.

May looked to Serena.

"Don't tell me…"

Serena nodded.

"So, you all knew I could sing, to begin with?"

Everyone gave a nod, even Dawn. When May saw this action from her best friend, she raised her hand weakly to point at the blunette.

"E-Even you, Dawn?"

Dawn giggled.

"I've known for a long time," Dawn replied.

"Oh my god, I don't believe it! I'm sitting here thinking it's still a secret when everybody knew," May covered her face with both her hands. "God, this is so embarrassing!"

Dawn placed a hand on May's shoulder.

"It's alright, what matters now is that you took a step forward," Dawn said as she rubbed May's shoulder. "You have no idea how happy I am for you."

"Same here," Ash interjected with a grin. "You're going to blow the whole school away, and I can't wait to see it!"

"If this backfires, I'm coming for you, Ash," May stated, earning some laughs from the group. "And just remember, _I know where you live_."

* * *

 **Friday, January 27th**

It was late in the afternoon when Ash and Pikachu found themselves staring at a familiar sight, one that came with an unpleasant memory.

They were standing on the beach where they had faced Brawly and his Medicham last December. Ash could hardly believe that almost two months had passed already. It felt like it was just yesterday that…

Ash grimaced at the thought of Brawly's Medicham delivering a Hi Jump Kick to Pikachu's small abdomen. He flinched thinking of how Pikachu had barely escaped being punched into oblivion by Medicham's Dynamic Punch. And finally, he shivered at Medicham's use of Detect to shut down Pikachu's combination of Double Team and Quick Attack.

"Pi-ka," Pikachu muttered, getting a nod of agreement from Ash.

"Yeah, that battle did suck." He added, scratching at the back of his head.

"Pi, pika?" Pikachu inquired as they turned away from the shoreline to avoid any further memories.

"We're meeting someone here, our newest training partner." Ash answered, and right on cue, an older pickup truck pulled into the empty lot further up the beach. Ash could see the golden hair of the driver through the windshield, so he made his way up to the parking lot to meet with him.

"I'm glad you made it," Volkner said as he rolled down the window, nodding his head to the empty passenger seat as a gesture for Ash to get in.

"Pika-chu?" Pikachu exclaimed at the sight of Volkner.

"Yup, we're training with Volkner." Ash replied with a small laugh at Pikachu's expression. His ears were raised and angled away from each other, eyes wide and mouth agape.

They would be training with Volkner, the 'Golden Flash.'

If there was anyone that could help him and Pikachu improve, it was a fellow electric type specialist.

"So, what kind of training are we going to do?" Ash asked once he and Pikachu were situated in the passenger seat. Volkner spent a moment observing them before he gave an answer.

"There's a lot you and Pikachu need to learn…but the first thing we're going to start with is unlocking Pikachu's true potential."

* * *

 **A/N**

Hey guys, I'm back way earlier than expected! I didn't think I'd have anything ready until August at the earliest because this chapter was giving me such a hard time, but things just fell into place with some help from MjrGenMatt.

This chapter was dedicated to May. This was one of my more ' _cuddlier_ ' (I can't believe I just used this word…is it even a word? lol) chapters where I ventured away from Ash and Pikachu, and focused more on some of the other characters. A couple of comments asked about Dawn and here's her first legitimate appearance in like ten chapters. Of course, she and Ash still have a big discussion ahead of them, but only time will tell when that conversation finally happens.

Since I don't have much else to talk about this time, I thought I share this little milestone with you guys. This chapter pushed my word count over 300k, making it the longest fic I've ever published and/or written. I never imagined this story reaching such epic lengths when I first started it years ago, but here we are. Wish me luck as we start working toward the climax! I have A LOT planned so buckle your seat belts and get ready!

Just a disclaimer to make sure I give credit where it's due, the song that was sung by May in this chapter was 'Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing' by Stevie Wonder. Stevie in fantastic, much respect to a great artist!

My heart goes out to those of you who reviewed and to those shy readers I have, don't be afraid to give me some feedback! I don't bite! Not anymore at least lol. And if you don't believe me, I know some people that will vouch for me, so don't hesitate if you want to review!

Another thanks to MjrGenMatt for his continued support, and I hope to see you all real soon. The target for my next update is early August!


	32. Lightning in a Bottle

**Chapter 32**

* * *

Volkner.

Regarded as arguably the second-best trainer in Vermilion City, he was a force to be reckoned with…and he would be Ash's mentor, going forward.

Ash took a glance at Volkner to study him. He drove with one hand on the wheel and the other hanging out of the window. Volkner's expression was blank, concealing anything Ash hoped to gain, so he could only wonder what was in store for him. After they met at the beach on the southern strip of Vermilion City, Volkner began to drive out into Route 11, following one of the many roads that traveled throughout the area.

About twenty minutes into the dense forests of Route 11, they crossed a bridge that stretched over a sizeable river. Once they had crossed, Volkner went off the road to drive alongside the waterway for some time. Their silence persisted, though Ash didn't mind, as he used the time to think about what Volkner meant when he said they would unlock Pikachu's full potential.

According to Giselle, Pikachu was strong in his own right. So, what was there for Pikachu to _unlock_?

Volkner brought his truck to a stop and turned it off. Without a word, he got out of his truck and invited Ash to do the same.

"Is this where we're going to train?" Ash asked him as they met at the back of his truck.

"Not here, it's further upstream," Volkner answered as he detached one of two Pokeballs from his belt. He looked at it fondly at for a moment before he tossed it in the air. "Ampharos, come join us."

The invitation to his partner Pokemon was answered as she exited her Pokeball, taking shape beside Volkner. Ash and Pikachu marveled at the appearance of Volkner's Ampharos as she spent a moment observing each of them.

"Say hello, Ampharos, this is Ash and Pikachu. They're going to be our training partners for the next few weeks." Volkner explained to her. She then bowed gracefully to the duo as a greeting, earning a chuckle from Ash as he and Pikachu returned her gesture.

"So, this is your partner," Ash noted as he circled around Ampharos to pick out the minor details about her. The first thing that caught his attention about her was the red orbs on her. There was one that sat on the tip of her tail, and the other was lodged in her forehead. They reminded him of the red spots on Pikachu's cheeks and he wondered if they played a part in how Ampharos gathered electricity. "Man, she looks so cool!"

Despite her composure, Ampharos became bashful at the compliment as she blushed, opting to hide behind Volkner. The blonde gave a laugh and remarked that his partner was easy to embarrass. That aside, Volkner refocused the group as he led them further up the river.

"Ash, did you know electric type Pokemon have all sorts of secrets?" Volkner asked him.

"I read a few things on the PokeHub…" Ash paused for a moment as he studied Volkner's expression. The smirk he wore made Ash think otherwise, "But I get the feeling you're talking about something else."

"And you'd be right," Volkner answered as they walked alongside the river. "Like, for example, did you know that the gems or orbs on Ampharos are actually her power source?"

"I kind of thought that they had some kind of purpose, but they're her power source?" Ash exclaimed, and Volkner gave a nod.

"Ye-up. All electric type Pokemon harness electricity in different ways. Some draw power from their surroundings, while others, like Ampharos, have a sort of generator within them." Volkner explained.

"Whoa, so Pikachu has some kind of generator inside of him?"

"No, not Pikachu. He's in a different class; the kinds of electric types that generate their electricity while in motion," Volkner answered.

"What does that mean for Pikachu?" Ash interjected before Volkner could continue.

"It means that Pikachu has the potential to generate a nearly endless amount of electricity to wield in battle, so long as he can keep moving." Volkner pointed out and their eyes grew wide.

"Seriously!?" Ash shouted before he looked at his partner walking beside him. "Did you know that, Pikachu?"

Pikachu shook his head. This was news to him as well!

"Wait, how does being in motion help Pikachu build up electricity?" Ash inquired.

"His muscles fibers were built in such a fashion that the kinetic energy Pikachu creates from moving is then converted into electricity that he can use freely," Volkner responded. "It's really fascinating, isn't it?"

"That's one way to put it," Ash muttered as he tried to wrap his head around the information. Giselle had told him to familiarize himself with the documents concerning electric types on the PokeHub, but Ash wasn't the type to read about a Pokemon's abilities, he wanted to experience them firsthand!

"Ah, here we are," Volkner said as they arrived at a clearing beside the river. Resting here was a small cottage with a water wheel beside it that almost matched the size of the structure.

"Are we going to have a battle here?" Ash asked, causing Volkner to purse his lips.

"Not quite. There was a reason I told you about how Pikachu generates electricity. I saw it during your last battle at the Hidden Cove. There's still one step Pikachu has to take before he can reach his full potential," Volkner explained. "It's a little-known fact that electric types suffer from electrical overloads in their youth, and I'm sure your Pikachu is no exception."

Pikachu gave a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head in the same fashion Ash would. He remembered his overloads, all of which were _unpleasant_ to say the least.

"For most, if not all of them, this causes them to become afraid of their own power." Volkner stated, causing Ash to send a questioning glance at Pikachu.

"Are you afraid of using your electricity, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he knelt to address Pikachu.

"Pi-ka…pikapi?" Pikachu responded, causing Ash to frown.

"He's not really sure." Ash said as he looked back to Volkner.

"It's an instinctive fear, Ash," Volkner went on. "Pikachu may not know it, but he's handicapping himself."

"How do you know that?"

"In your last match, I noticed that Pikachu had to use Charge before Thunderbolt," Volkner said. "The need to pre-charge for that attack says to me that Pikachu still doesn't trust his ability to control it."

"So then…Ampharos doesn't need to use Charge?" Ash asked as he looked to the larger of the two electric Pokemon present.

Volkner opted for a demonstration, and it confirmed Ash's conclusion. Ampharos fired off multiple electric attacks in quick succession, no Charge required, and Ash was astounded at the sight of it.

After all the training he had done with Pikachu, Ash had never thought much about developing Pikachu's ability to manipulate electricity. Watching Ampharos do almost anything imaginable was unlike anything he had seen before and he was eager to know how they achieved these feats.

"Was Ampharos afraid of using electricity too?" Ash asked, causing Ampharos to conceal herself by Volkner once again.

"She was."

"How did you help her work past it, then?"

"We got struck by lightning."

Ash deadpanned.

"Are you being serious?" Ash asked him incredulously.

"Completely," Volkner replied as he raised a hand to pat Ampharos on the head.

"So, Pikachu and I have to be struck by lightning?"

Volkner stifled a laugh.

"No, we were a special case," Volkner stated. "Being struck by lightning triggered an electrical overload in Ampharos, which is what helped her to take this next step. The goal with Pikachu is to create a similar situation."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"Here," Volkner took him to the back of the cottage. At the back of his small home was a power converter that was wired to the water wheel. "This supplies power to the cottage, but we can reroute the power to Pikachu to cause an overload."

It sounded crazy in theory and looked even crazier when it came time to execute. Ash found himself on the backside of the water wheel, climbing on each partition to speed up its rotation. Ash looked off to the side, where he saw the wires running back to the converter where it broke off into three wires, two of which went Pikachu's cheeks, and the final one was wrapped around his tail.

According to Volkner, those three spots were the conduits for Pikachu to release electricity, and it could be used in reverse as well.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner. Pikachu looked up at him and gave a thumbs up. With the confirmation from his partner, Ash picked up his pace and the process began. The power generated from the wheel increased tenfold, to the point where the excess electricity could be seen traveling through the wires to Pikachu.

"Piiiiiii-ka," Pikachu groaned as his small form was assaulted by a wave of electricity. It poured into him, coursing through every fiber of his body. His senses became dull from the voltage that already surpassed anything he had felt before.

"Ramp it up, Ash, this isn't even close to enough to cause an overload." Volkner commented. Ash gave him a nod, drew in a deep breath and climbed aggressively. The rotation speed of the wheel rose, as did the output from the power converter.

Sparks began to fly from Pikachu and it reached the point where an electric halo surrounded his small form. At first, it matched the color of Pikachu's fur, but gradually the electricity grew darker in color around him.

Pikachu hunched over with a grunt and then went down onto one knee.

"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed.

"Ash!" Volkner said sharply. "Stay focused. _Do not_ let the wheel stop."

Ash looked to his partner, who had regained his bearings, and he gave Ash another thumbs up.

 _Don't worry, I can do this!_

With a nod, Ash returned to his task of turning the water wheel. Soon enough, he got back to the same rotations per minute, and the dense electrical halo took shape around Pikachu again. Volkner donned a crooked grin at the sight of Pikachu wrestling for control with the overflow of electricity running through him.

"This is it! Give it everything you've got!" Volkner commanded.

Ash held his breath and climbed with all his might. His muscles began to scream and wail as fatigue set in, but Ash powered through it. For thirty seconds, he poured out every ounce of strength he could muster, all the while watching his partner closely. He licked his lips to keep them moist, taking deep breaths to fill his lungs to capacity.

Just as Volker had said, they arrived at the apex.

The cloud of lightning around Pikachu became so dense that the small Pokemon could no longer be seen within it. Panting as he climbed, Ash could hear Pikachu cry out from within the storm.

"Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

 _I'm okay! We're almost there, I can feel it!_

Ash adjusted his focus and inhaled one more time. Despite the protests of his arms and legs, he surged onward.

The storm around Pikachu went into a frenzy, the electricity turning white as it blinded those around it.

"PI-KAAAA!"

There was a gust of wind, and Ash went airborne. He reached out for the water wheel, but it was nowhere to be found. His body met with the surface of the river, which cushioned his fall, though he still hit stones that occupied the riverbed. Pain jolted up the arm that he had landed on. Thankfully the water was shallow, only reaching upper calves.

Now standing upright, Ash used one hand to rub at his eyes to restore his vision. After a few moments, the haze faded away and Ash squinted at the scene beside the river. The power converter had exploded, which was likely what had knocked him off the wheel and into the river. A stray lightning bolt passed through his line of sight and crashed into the riverbed several meters away from him.

This drew Ash's attention to the crackling cyclone of electricity. At the center of it was Pikachu who wore an expression Ash had never seen before.

 _Such hostility…_

"Pikachu!" Ash screamed at his partner.

Pikachu turned toward him, causing multiple bolts to exit the cyclone. They flew out haphazardly into the river, detonating against the riverbed and blasting the water all about.

Volkner watched on, eyebrows raised in awe. The tempest of lightning that traveled around Pikachu was unlike anything he had seen. It wasn't the yellow lightning that was signature to electric type Pokemon, the heart of the storm was white, with a _rainbow_ of colors swirling around Pikachu. Was that somehow tied to Ash's wings…or was it sign of Pikachu's true potential?

"Pikachu?!" Ash shouted again. Pikachu wasn't responding to at him.

Instead, a string of lightning bolts went flying in Ash's direction. Three of them were headed straight toward him, but they veered off course and crashed in the river behind him. Ash stumbled forward and clutched his left shoulder from the sudden movement. A shout of distress escaped his lips and it was enough to reach Pikachu.

The malice briefly left Pikachu, long enough for him to see Ash writhing in pain. But his vision became clouded again as he felt another surge from within him.

 _Ash, you have to move!_

Another round of bolts left the cyclone, but unlike the previous ones, these skipped across the surface of the water, and a pair of them converged on Ash. His eyes became wide as they approached. He took two steps back before his heel struck a stone and Ash found himself resting on his bottom in the water.

All he could do was raise a hand and look away. He had been zapped by Pikachu before, but Pikachu had always been conservative in those situations. It usually left him tingling with a bit of a twitch, and his heart would race for a while, but he was always fine. However, Ash was certain he would be struck by a _real_ lightning bolt. However, enough time passed for Ash to realize he should've been hit by now, so he peeked with one eye.

In front of him was Volkner, one arm outstretched for his open hand to catch the bolt of lightning. Ash's mouth hung open, but his astonishment was short-lived. Pikachu let out another volley of lightning bolts, all of which went flying at them again.

Even though Volkner had done something impossible and _caught_ lightning with his bare hands, there was no way he could protect them for the seven approaching Thunderbolts. Volkner's gaze became steely, and Ash winced as his heartbeat pounded against his eardrums.

Volkner wings opened up behind him. _His marvelous golden wings_. They grew large, shielding them from the lightning. It was like they were absorbing the electricity!

Ash was in awe…

The electrical storm around Pikachu dissipated at long last, allowing the Pokemon to slump to the ground with a tiny thud. Pikachu's collapse brought back Ash's focus as he jumped back to his feet with a shout of his partner's name. He ran through the water, racing to Pikachu's side to examine him.

Electricity was crackling from his fur, zapping his fingertips. Ash withdrew his hand and looked to Volkner and Ampharos as they approached.

"Is Pikachu going to be okay?" Ash asked them immediately.

Volkner gave him a nod.

"Oh yeah, he'll be fine," Volkner replied.

"So then, does that mean Pikachu isn't afraid anymore?"

Volkner chuckled and shook his head.

"Not even close, Ash," He began. "This was just the first step."

"First step?"

"Mhmm, to overcome his fear, Pikachu will have to face it head-on and accumulate experience using his full power," Volkner explained causing Ash to look down at his unconscious comrade.

"So then, _this_ is where our training starts," Ash concluded, earning a nod from Volkner. With Pikachu out of commission for the time being, Ash looked to the blonde with a new question in mind. "So, what was that earlier?"

"What was what?" Volkner repeated.

"That thing you did with your wings, you blocked out the Thunderbolt. Are you like a superhero or something?" Ash inquired as he studied Volkner. His wings had folded into his back and disappeared earlier, leaving Ash to wonder just who Volkner really was…

Volkner let out a laugh.

"There's no such thing as superheroes," Volkner said. "However, there are people that were chosen for a higher purpose."

"And you're one of them…" Ash trailed off when Volkner made a gesture toward him.

"And so are you." Volkner added.

"What does that mean?"

Volkner paused, using this opportunity think about his answer.

"The higher purpose…" Volkner hesitated, his lips pursed and brow furrowed to create an expression Ash found amusing. "Think of it as an enormous puzzle. In order to see the big picture in a puzzle, you usually pick out smaller parts to work on first. Once you have enough of the smaller pictures, it becomes easier to fill in the blank areas, right?"

Ash gave him a nod.

"The big picture, I don't know much about," Volkner answered truthfully as he shook his head. "We're still at a stage where the smaller pictures are being constructed. All I know is that the big picture revolves around someone that is recognized as the 'One True King.' You could call him _the centerpiece_."

Ash's eyes widened at the mention of the 'One True King.' It was the same thing that he had read in the book!

"But among the smaller pictures, there are five of us that were sent her to Vermilion City to complete a number of tasks." Volkner explained.

"Five of you? So, the Five Kings?" Ash asked, but Volkner shook his head. "Not the Five Kings…so who are the others then?"

"You'll know in due time, Ash." Volkner stated and Ash decided to abandon this topic.

"Alright then, what exactly is the task you have to do?" Ash asked him.

"Mine? I was instructed to watch over you."

"By who?"

"The Unown."

"Unown?" Ash repeated. "Who are they?"

"I…don't really know myself. I've only spoken with them once," Volkner admitted. "But one of my associates has the ability to speak to them whenever she needs to."

"She?" Ash said as Bianca came to mind. Could it be?

"You've met her already," Volkner said with a nod. "Bianca."

Ash took a moment to exhale. So, Bianca was one of these five people…and that strange dream, or rather what he thought was a dream, _actually did happen_. The book, Ninetales, the mountaintop. It was all real. Bianca was one of these five people…

 _"You are Ash Ketchum! The one heralded to walk the Path of Mastery!"_

"So…can you tell me what the Path of Mastery is?" Ash inquired, causing Volkner to raise his brow.

"No, this is the first I've heard of it," Volkner responded. "It might be a task tied specifically to you."

Ash felt like he was floating as he tried to wrap his head around all of this. It was a lot to take in, especially considering the majority of it didn't make much sense to him. But out of everything he heard up until this point, there was one question that remained in his head.

The Path of Mastery was something that might be exclusive to him. So, could that possibly make him the 'centerpiece' that Volkner had mentioned?

"Am I…the One True King?"

Volkner looked at him sideways and then he shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. The identity of the One True King hasn't been determined. But I do know that in the grand scheme of things, you are special. Your wings are proof of that." Volkner remarked with a smirk, causing Ash to furrow his brow.

But before this discussion could progress any farther, Pikachu awakened and their focus shifted to the Pokemon. It took a few moments before Pikachu to fully regain his senses and he began to apologize to Ash profusely.

"Pikachu, don't worry about it," Ash said as he assured Pikachu that he was fine. "I know you would never try to hurt me."

"He's right, Pikachu, relax," Volkner said as he knelt beside Ash and Pikachu. "You won't be able to master controlling your electricity right out the gates, it's a gradual process and understanding how much power you have is the first step."

Pikachu still held a look of uncertainty as he averted his gaze from them. Ash placed his hand on Pikachu's head and gave him a broad smile.

"Pikachu, I know this might be scary, but I promise you that we'll work through it together."

They shared a nod with this promise and then looked to Volkner for guidance.

* * *

Ash had learned many things today.

One, that Volkner the Golden Flash drove an old pickup truck and lived out on Route 11.

Two, that Pikachu feared the abilities signature to his type of Pokemon.

And above all else, that electric type Pokemon were simply _amazing_!

Ash assumed that Volkner would be their teacher, but Ampahros was actually the teacher. Not only that, but Ampharos taught without speaking.

"What is she doing?" Ash asked as he observed Ampharos and Pikachu.

Pikachu and Ampharos stood with their backs to one another, their tails touching. They only sound that came from them was the crackle from the consistent Thundershock that Ampharos was releasing from her tail into Pikachu.

"Electric type Pokemon can do all sorts of things with electricity," Volkner began, but his attention was wrapped up in the repair work he was performing to the power converter. It was almost like he knew that this would happen, since he had a toolkit waiting for him in the cottage. "They can attack, defend, empower…they can even communicate with it, which is what they're doing right now?"

"Really?" Ash exclaimed.

"Ye-up, Ampharos is showing Pikachu how to control his electricity as we speak," Volkner added before extended a hand toward Ash. "Hand me the socket wrench."

Ash peered into the toolkit and frowned. There were at least four different wrenches as far as he could tell. Volkner took note of his expression and added: 'the one with the yellow handle.'

"So, Pikachu will be able to use new moves after this?"

"Not exactly," Volkner answered. "Ampharos can only teach him the theories behind manipulating electricity. Pikachu will have to practice in order to use these new moves."

Ash suppressed a smile. He couldn't wait to see Pikachu in action. With all of the training involved to develop their Quick Attack and Double Team combo, Ash was excited to see what sort of training they would do with Volkner.

"What kind of moves will Pikachu be able to use?"

"Ampharos is going to go easy on him for now. The first move she's showing him is called Spark," Volkner explained and he went on, "It's a very basic move, even easier to use than Thunderbolt, actually. It'll help Pikachu practice controlling how much electricity he releases at a time."

Ash thought about Pikachu expanding his arsenal and found himself licking his lips. Speed was their only weapon up until today. But now, if Pikachu could let loose an electrical attack at any given moment, it would make their whole offense that much more potent.

When Ampharos completed her first lesson with Pikachu, they began to practice. Ampharos was more verbal from here, giving Pikachu gentle reminders as he began to gather electricity and mold it to his liking. The instruction behind Spark was simple. All Pikachu had to do was maintain a constant output of electricity, and coat his fur in it. According to Volkner, Spark was only a basic move, but Pikachu struggled mightily with it.

Ash knew that all of this was foreign to Pikachu. The extent of their practice with electricity before today was Pikachu's use of Charge to use Thunderbolt. But Volkner had already established that their development of Charge couldn't be considered proper training. Pikachu had never been capable of tapping into his electrical reservoir, but Charge would provide him with an excess of electricity that he would use for his Thunderbolt attack.

Pikachu was learning how to access his dormant power.

Ash wanted to help Pikachu, and Volkner could tell.

"This is a test for Pikachu," Volkner stated to keep Ash at bay. "It'll take more than just practice to use his abilities. It takes courage to wield this kind of power. Courage, boldness…and maybe a touch of some _moxie_ from your trainer."

Ash looked to Volkner and caught sight of a smirk on his face.

He looked back to Pikachu, who went down onto all fours, summoning electricity to surround himself in a veil.

It takes courage…

* * *

 **Friday, February 3rd**

1:53 pm.

Around this time of day on a Friday, Pikachu would usually be acting as the assistant supervisor of Macy – assistant to whoever watching her that morning. In today's case, it was Miette.

However, today was a different case. Pikachu was snoozing peacefully on the couch in the living room, and Macy took note of his absence.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" Macy asked as she looked observed Pikachu closely. Pikachu opened one eye to look at her and she waited to see what he would do. Miette couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Macy pestering Pikachu yet again. She just couldn't leave him alone today.

"Macy," Miette called to her, patting the sofa beside her. "Pikachu has been working very hard, he needs to rest."

"Oh yeah, Ashy said that too," She noted softly. Macy gave Pikachu a kind apology and returned to Miette. Pikachu looked toward Miette and she shot him a wink, earning a nod of thanks from him. He then snuggled further into the couch to enjoy the last half an hour of rest he'd have for today.

Their training with Ampharos and Volkner was _brutal,_ to say the least. Pikachu was no slouch when it came to training, and Ash wouldn't allow any sort of slacking. But Ampharos was a workhorse and she expected the same out of him, not to mention the type of training was a whole new experience to Pikachu. Unlike the physical demands and repetition that it took to master Quick Attack and Double Team, the process of tapping into the energy within him took mental fortitude and physical endurance.

Ampharos promised him that it would become second nature as he practiced, but it all felt so strange to Pikachu. The overload that they had invoked using the waterwheel, it left him… _terrified_.

That was the first time in a long time that he had been overwhelmed by electricity. It dulled all of his senses to have such a high voltage running through him, and his control of the lightning began to slip. He could feel the power spasming around him, acting on its own accord. Pikachu fought to maintain control, but that battle was lost almost immediately. The storm swallowed him up, and became violent as a result.

Ash's voice was the only thing Pikachu could make out amid the storm, but it lashed out at Ash in response. Even after being beaten once, Pikachu began to struggle for control again, for Ash's sake. Pikachu contended with the storm, but he was felled once again.

Thankfully, it had run its course and the storm abated. When Pikachu awakened, he learned that Ash was fine thanks to Volkner, but Ampharos explained to him that the battle for control was one that he would face again and again. It would get easier with time, but it was a struggle.

 _"The overload you experienced today was what you'll experience every time you call on your power," Ampharos explained via their electrical communication. "But just so that you understand this going forward, today you dealt with only a fraction of the power you'll be using."_

Pikachu couldn't believe it when she said it, but as the training commenced, her words proved to be true.

Ampharos taught him how to draw out his power. They visualized it as an old well, and Ampharos explained that at first, he would need to bring it out in small doses – a bucket's worth. But with time, he would one day hurl himself into the well and experience its full might. However, a bucket's worth was all he could handle currently.

Just as Ampharos had said, it got easier. Little by little, with each lesson from his fellow electric type, Pikachu found himself growing more comfortable drawing out his once dormant electrical powers. Through all of the struggle, Pikachu felt a sense of pride engulf him at the end of each day. Not just because Ash would smother him with praise, but because the power that he had once feared as a child was now something he could wield confidently.

This was his rite of passage…and it was thanks to Ash that he had passed splendidly!

When fear crept in, Pikachu thought of his trainer. The young man whose courage knew no bounds! Ash's courage became Pikachu's, and it allowed Pikachu to enter a whole new world!

Ampharos took him by the hand and led him on the next phase of his journey. She introduced him to the concepts behind manipulating electricity. It was all so fascinating.

Pikachu's experimentation with his electrical powers started with Thundershock and ended with Thunderbolt, both of which required that he wield the lightning like a blade seeking to strike down his opponents. But Ampharos showed him that there were other ways to use his electricity.

It could function as a shield to protect him physically, in the fashion that the move Spark worked. Any opponent who relied on physical strength would be punished dearly for striking him if Spark was active. Electricity could also be used as a blunt instrument to stun his foe in battle. Ampharos had only gone over the application behind it once, explaining that this use was tied to a move known as Thunder Wave. She promised that they would go into further detail at a later date.

The final use of electricity that Ampharos has discussed with him so far was one that Pikachu was familiar with. Using it as a projectile to reach opponents at great distances. Thunderbolt was a basic projectile move, but Ampharos stated that she would show Pikachu a more advanced move called Electro Ball.

For the time being, Pikachu's focus was on Spark, and he was making great strides.

There was a knock on the front door and Pikachu opened his eyes to take a look at the clock.

2:23pm.

"Ashy's home!" Macy exclaimed as she and Miette went to the front door to let Ash in.

"Hey, Macy!" Ash said as a greeting. "Did you have a good time with Miette today?"

"Yeah, we did more reading!" She declared.

"That's great, do you promise to show me tomorrow?" Ash asked her and she gave him a big nod.

"Oh my god, who is that guy?" Miette asked as she peered out the front door. Parked in front of the house was an old pick-up truck with an attractive blonde guy as the driver.

"That's Volkner, he trains with me and Pikachu." Ash answered casually as Miette studied Volkner intently.

"What a hottie!"

Ash rolled his eyes at her.

"Ashy, what's a hot-tie?" Macy asked him curiously causing Ash to shoot a glare at Miette. Ash then knelt beside Macy and beamed at her.

"It's something you don't need to worry about right now, kiddo," Ash said to her before changing the subject. "Why don't you go wake up Pikachu for me?"

"O-kay!" She said before she darted off into the living room to awaken the small Pokemon.

Ash looked back to Miette, who wore a bashful expression for a change, giving a nervous laugh as she made eye contact with him.

"Don't poison her mind," Ash stated and Miette stuck her tongue out.

Ash went upstairs to change clothes, and when he returned, he found Pikachu waiting for him at the front door.

"You ready buddy?" Ash asked and Pikachu gave him a quick salute.

 _Born ready._

* * *

 **Wednesday, February 8th**

A phone call came during that short window of time when Ash was actually home on a weekday. It was from Ethan Avertt, the cardiologist that had been overseeing Cassidy's rehabilitation.

His call came with some incredible news!

 _"Cassidy will be released from rehab on February 12th."_

Ash suppressed his urge to jump for joy as Ethan continued.

 _"However, for her to come home, there is one requirement. You must find her a full-time home health aide to monitor her. If you stop by the hospital, the receptionist can provide you with a list of recommendations."_

Fortunately, Ash didn't need a list. He already knew someone perfect for the job.

Shauna.

As if things couldn't get any more convenient, she would be the one watching the girls tonight, so Ash planned to talk to her about it when he returned from training.

The sun had sunk into the horizon, and skies were dim when Ash and Pikachu arrived at their home. Shauna greeted him cheerily, informing him that she had already put Macy to bed. Ash thanked her, as he always did, and requested that she join him in the kitchen for them to speak privately. Shauna raised her brow as she complied.

Once they were settled, Ash got right down to business.

"So, I got some news from Cassidy's doctor today that they're going to release her this Sunday," Ash began and Shauna let a whoop escape her lips. She blushed and apologized, but Ash waved it off. "There was one thing we have to before she can come home though. I have to hire a home health aide full-time to help Cassidy…you're still certified right?"

"Oh yeah, I certified for the next two years," Shauna answered and then she blinked, putting the pieces together. "Wait…so does that mean, you want to hire me?"

Ash gave her a slow nod.

"Of course, I'll do it!" Shauna declared. Ash's house had become a 'home away from home' for her. If she was getting paid to be here, there was no way she would turn that offer. Not to mention she absolutely adored Ash's sisters. Watching after them and Cassidy could hardly be considered work. "We can work out of the rates and everything later, I don't even really care what you pay me."

"You're going to get paid well," Ash assured her. She opened her mouth but Ash added, "Shauna, you've been such a big help around here the last few months. This is our way of paying you back."

She held back her response and simply smiled at Ash. She knew better than to try and change his mind.

"The only thing I need is for you to come with me to the hospital on Saturday to show them your paperwork," Ash explained and he received a nod from her to conclude the short discussion. "So, are you going to join us on Friday?"

"For May?"

"Yup, it's her big debut."

* * *

 **Friday, February 10th**

There were only a few occasions that North Vermilion High received so much activity at night. Usually, a football or basketball game would garner some attention, but tonight was a different case. Tonight, was the school talent show that hosted a cast of teenagers that brought in nearly the entire school. Parents, friends, and family were all packed into the room, anxiously waiting for the show to begin.

Ash leaned over the railing at the edge of the upper concourse to look at the full house on the ground level. The buzz of excitement that filled the room reminded him of a short video he had seen on the PokeHub about a Beedrill's nest.

"Ah-ha! Now we're cooking!" Trevor exclaimed now that his cameras were in focus.

"You're all set up?" Ash asked him as he looked to his friend that had finished mounting his third and final camera to the railing. With these three cameras, he had all the angles covered. Two on the ground level and one for an aerial view of the stage. He would capture everything perfectly.

"Yup, and thanks again for setting this up, Ash." Trevor said with a nod.

Ash had gone to Fantina and proposed that she hire Trevor to record the talent show and take photographs. She agreed with the plan wholeheartedly, because she was certain that tonight would be a night to remember. The pay wasn't anything special, but Trevor was happy to add anything to his portfolio.

"Don't worry about it," Ash said as he waved off the comment. "We're all here for May, after all. I just want to make sure that she's able to relive this night over whenever she wants to."

Ash agreed with Fantina. Tonight, was going to special for May.

Whether it was a good special or a bad one, was to be determined by May herself.

"Well I'm set here; I'm going to head backstage and tell Fantina we can get started." Trevor said as he made a gesture to the stairway. The two of them journeyed down to the ground level of the auditorium where they went their separate ways. Ash returned the row seats where his friends were waiting.

The whole gang was here.

Casey, Macy, Brock, Serena, Shauna, Miette, Tierno, and Valerie. Macy was absolutely ecstatic. She couldn't wait to see May on stage!

"Hey, look who's back!" Brock exclaimed as Ash rejoined the group, taking the open seat by the aisle.

"How was Trevor doing?" Tierno asked from two seats over. Valerie was next to him, wearing a cheery expression as always.

"He just finished getting set up. The show is going to start in a minute or two." As Ash gave his reply, a familiar face passed by him. It was May's younger brother, Max. Right behind him was his mother Caroline who immediately recognized the group.

"Oh my, I didn't think I'd get to see you here, Ash," Caroline noted as Ash looked to her. He jumped to his feet to greet her properly, but she insisted that he relax. "It certainly is packed. I'm surprised the talent show got such a huge crowd."

"Do you guys have seats?" Ash asked as he glanced into his row. They had a seat for Macy, but she could sit on someone's lap if it meant giving Caroline or Max a seat.

"Don't you worry about us," Caroline replied with a smile. "Dawn saved us some seats up front, though I think one of them is empty because May's father won't be joining us tonight."

Ash frowned. He was sure that May wanted her father here to see her perform, to prove her worth to him. Ash, however, shook his head at the thought. That didn't matter anymore. The person May needed to prove her worth to was already in attendance…and that would be herself.

The ceiling lights dimmed, causing the audience to grow quiet as Fantina stepped out onto the stage with a microphone.

"I'll see you after the show, hopefully." Caroline said with a wave before and Max went down to the first row where Dawn was waiting for them.

Ash dropped back down into his seat and focused on Fantina, who was present at the center of the stage. She curtseyed to the audience before she began to speak.

" _Bonsoir a tous,"_ She said warmly to address the crowd. "Welcome to the annual North Vermilion High talent show! We weren't expecting such a big audience, but we are very happy to know that our performers tonight will be well supported. Because of the high attendance, please be mindful of where the exits are, and I suggest you silence your phones now, _s'il vous plait_."

Ash could hear some shuffling all throughout the room as a fair portion of the audience followed Fantina's request.

"Our cast tonight sends a big thanks to you for your compliance, as you won't want to miss a moment of the show," Fantina added before she made a gesture to stage left. "For our first act tonight, I'd like to welcome a wonderful pair of freshmen to the stage, Angie and her assistant Rachel!"

The applause came down as two girls took the stage, one dressed as a magician while the other was adorned in a lavish dress. Their act was nothing Ash hadn't seen, but he was impressed by their final trick. To wrap up the act, a screen wall was brought out onto the stage and the pair of Angie and Rachel both went behind it. It couldn't have been more than twenty seconds before they stepped out from behind the stage, having swapped clothes. The assistant Rachel had become the magician, and Angie was now wearing the gown.

Their final trick earned a roar of approval from the crowd as they took a bow and their act concluded.

The night went on without a hitch and everyone was having a merry time.

A group of sophomores put on a barbershop quartet decked out in matching striped vests and hats. The bass singer had the deepest voice Ash had ever heard from a teenager!

The act that followed was an excerpt from a famous tragedy about two star crossed lovers trying to find love in a doomed relationship, but the seniors who took part in it made it more a parody than sticking to the original lines, hitting numerous key punchlines that left the howling with laughter.

"Give another round of applause for them!" Fantina said as these students left the stage. "Those students are members of our drama club and they're quite the actors, aren't they?"

There some whistles from the audience in response.

"The next act is going to be a treat, so please enjoy the comedy stylings of our own, Sorrel Lee!" Fantina said warmly as she invited a young man out onto the stage. He was dressed casually with a microphone in one hand and a barstool in the other.

Ash recognized him. He was the number one student! It was no secret that he would be the class valedictorian, poised to head off to the biggest college in Kalos once he graduated.

Once Sorrel was set up at the center of the stage, he performed a quick mic check before his performance began.

"Alright ladies and gents, how are we doing tonight?" He asked loosely before waving off his question. "We'll skip the formalities. I know we have a lot of parents in the audience tonight. Do you guys remember your senior year in high school? I know for some of you that might have been a _long time_ ago, but bear with me."

There were some snickers from the younger folks in the crowd.

"I'm sure you all remember math class… _word problems_." There were a few laughs from the audience as Sorrel went on. "I remember one night, I went to my dad for some help with a word problem," Sorrel shook his head with a chuckle. "I kid you not, this was the question. 'If you buy sixty Tamato berries…' now he stopped right there, looked at me dead in the eyes and said: 'why the _hell_ would you buy sixty Tamato berries?'"

Sorrel stood up from his stool as several audience members began to laugh.

"Only in math would you by sixty Tamato berries, dad. Only in math. Speaking of math, I'm not sure if my mom passed all her math classes because she can't seem to keep track of her age anymore." Sorrel noted, earning a few laughs. "I noticed this when I got into high school, my mom was ' _suddenly_ ' ten years younger. I'm sure some of you out there know what I'm talking about." There were several shouts of agreement, "And it gets even better because by extension, now _you're_ suddenly ten years younger too. Now for you husbands out there, it might not be such a big deal. But for the kids, oh boy." Sorrel put on a voice in a poor imitation of his mother. "'O _h, my son Sorrel? He turned eight this year._ ' Mom! Mom, do you hear my voice right now? Do you see the mustache on my face, I literally drove us here! For goodness sake, the charade can only go so far!"

The audience roared.

"Oh, that's so true!" Brock hollered from his seat. "My mom does the same crap!"

"Mom, Dad, I love you guys," Sorrel said as he spotted his parents in the audience. He gave them one grateful bow before he continued, "Thank you all, you've been a wonderful audience! Goodnight!"

The audience cheered as Sorrel gave one last salute, collected his items and went on his way.

* * *

Fantina returned to the stage following the ninth performance of the night, but as she began to speak Ash felt someone tap his shoulder. Startled, he looked to his left and found Trevor looming over him.

"What's up, Trevor?" Ash asked as Trevor stooped down to speak with him.

"We've got a problem backstage," Trevor began and Ash furrowed his brow. "May is missing. No one has seen her since check-in. I don't know my way around the building so can you come to help me look for her."

"Psst," Brock said from further in the row after he caught sight of Trevor. "What's the matter?"

"May's gone missing," Ash answered. "I'm going to help Trevor look for her."

"I'm right behind you then." Brock stated as he rose from his seat. However, Brock wasn't the only one that joined them in their search for May, Tierno and Serena joined the search party without a moment of hesitation. As the group made their way out of the auditorium, Ash recalled Caroline's mention of Dawn before the show started, and he looked toward the front of the auditorium. It took a moment, but he located the only head of blue hair at the front.

"I'll catch up with you guys, I'm going to enlist some more help." Ash said as he turned to head back down the aisle. Arriving at the row were Dawn was seated with Caroline, Max, and Drew, Ash did what he could to get their attention. " _Pssst_!"

Max was the first to notice him, and Ash began to point at Dawn. Max nudged her with his elbow and then nodded toward Ash. Once Dawn saw Ash motioning for her to come with him, Dawn rose from her seat and followed him out of the auditorium while he explained the situation.

"Oh man, she must be panicking." Dawn muttered as they joined the group of Brock, Trevor, Tierno, and Serena in the corridor.

"I've been calling her phone," Serena said as she re-dialed May's number. "But she's not answering."

"Do you have any ideas where she might be?" Trevor asked Dawn, causing the bluenette to look up in thought.

Whenever May had a bad day, she would usually seek out some privacy. A place where she could get herself in order.

"The bathrooms…" Dawn noted causing the group to share a glance. Brock and Tierno made a face that almost forced a laugh out of Trevor.

"The bathroom?" Ash repeated with skepticism.

"This is May we're talking about," Dawn answered. "Now come on, there's no time to waste."

"Good point, we'll split up then," Brock said to the group. "Ash, Serena and I will be group one. Dawn, Trevor and Tierno will be group two."

"Okay then, we'll take the ground floor, you guys can start in the basement," Ash suggested. "We'll all meet on the second floor if we don't find her."

"Right!"

* * *

Ash burst into the girls' bathroom of the southwest wing and gave a valiant shout for May to answer him. There was no reply and thankfully the bathroom was empty. Brock had been the one to throw open the door and startle a pair of female faculty members that were washing their hands. They berated him but went no further than that after hearing his explanation.

"Nope, no dice," Ash said as he rejoined Brock and Serena in the corridor. Serena still had phone pressed against her ear, quietly begging May to answer her phone.

"Where's the next bathroom?" Brock asked Ash.

"That was the last one on this floor. We have to head upstairs." Ash said as he made a gesture toward the stairwell at the end of the hall.

"Hold on, someone answered," Serena shushed them. "Hello? Who is this? But this is May Maple's phone, right? She did…did she say where she was going? Alright, thank you so much!"

Serena ended the call and gave a great sigh of relief.

"Okay, someone backstage said she left her phone in the changing room. They said she went out to her car for some fresh air when the show started." Serena explained.

"Her car…" Ash muttered. "May usually parks her car at the lot by the field. She must be over there. Come on, this way, there's a fire exit we can use!"

Serena used her phone to get into contact with Dawn as they ran, relaying the information to the other search party. Soon enough both groups were now converging on the same location. Ash, Brock, and Serena were the first to arrive at the additional parking lot, scanning the area for May's bright blue car. Dawn, Tierno, and Trevor arrived soon after and joined the hunt until Dawn finally spotted May's car in the far corner of the lot.

As they drew close, the saw May seated in the behind the steering wheel, resting her forehead against it.

"May!" They all shouted together and she jumped in her seat. All of them were smushed together trying to look through the window at her. Seeing them all practically on top of each other, May couldn't help but laugh at the sight of them.

"Come on, May, come on out here." Brock said as an invitation for her to join them under the dim skies. There was a kind breeze rolling through with enough sunlight that the streetlights hadn't turned on yet.

She complied and there several expressions of awe at the sight of her. May wore a stunning, scarlet-colored knee-length dress. The frills of her dress moved with her, and her hair was let loose for tonight. She blushed as they complimented her, and she looked away from them.

"I'm sorry guys, but I don't think I can do this." She stated.

Their merry expressions faded as the group took a moment to glance at each other.

"What makes you say that?" Tierno asked her in return as he motioned for them to come out in front of her car, inviting May to take a seat on the hood. She gave a sigh once she was situated, and placed a hand against her cheek.

"When the show started," She began. "I took a peek and saw the audience and…I don't know. I couldn't calm down, so I came out here for some fresh air. I'm so nervous right now, I-I don't think I could handle going on stage."

"It's okay, May," Tierno said as he took a seat beside her. "I remember I lost my cool once before a performance too."

"You can't lose what you never had, big fella." Brock interjected. Tierno shot him a narrow glance and May let out a giggle.

"As I was saying," Tierno went on. "A certain group of people did something to help me relax."

"What was that?" May inquired.

"We did our own little mini-show, before the real thing." Tierno answered as he looked toward Brock. The mention of this caused Brock to raise his brow as he understood what Tierno was referring to. Brock whipped out his phone to search for a song and in a matter of seconds, he had a song playing.

Dawn remembered the intro to the song as Brock began to clap in sync with the beat, just like he did at the subway station before their dance battle. As the lyrics began, there some cheers as everyone but May formed a circle in front of her car. They all grooved in place as a warm-up, even Dawn.

May eyed her best friend incredulously. Dawn _never_ danced!

"Come on, May, hop in. This is a lot of fun!" Dawn exclaimed as she motioned for May to join them. She was hesitant, but as she watched each of them take a turn to dance at the center of the circle, she couldn't deny that it looked like a blast. While Dawn, Ash, and Trevor weren't as skilled a dancer as the others, they were still brimming with mirth as they danced.

Everyone insisted that she take a turn until she finally gave in.

Her heart was racing as she took her spot at the center of the group and she hesitated, shuffling on her feet. May's jaw was tight and she grasped at the fringes of her dress.

"May, don't worry," Tierno called out to her and when she looked to him, he gave her a toothy grin. "No one here wants to see you fail, so relax…and focus on what matters most," He framed his great smile with his hands and May felt her lips quiver before they turned upward.

A smile. That was all she needed.

May drew in one grateful breath as she rocked back and forth to beat. Gradually she eased into a few steps and it soon turned into full display. Her audience clapped in sync with the beat and when her short freestyle came to an end, they swamped May together and laughed as a group.

"Thanks for coming to find me, guys," May continued. "I still don't want to do this, but I will for you."

"Oh please, May, there's at least a small part you that wanted to," Tierno pointed out. "You would've gone home otherwise, right?"

May pursed her lips. She had her own car and her keys. She could've left if she really wanted to…but something kept her around. Something was nagging her from the back of her mind. Several voices…

 _"A good performance isn't one that's mistake-free, a good performance is one that your audience remembers…One that they learn something from."_

 _"Even if it's just one person that we affected out of like, three hundred people, we did our jobs as performers."_

 _"And just so you know, May, I get nervous and scared too, but just like you if I see a smile after I'm done performing, it all feels worthwhile."_

Even her own.

 _"My heart kind of…flutters," May said softly. "It makes me so happy to see her happy."_

May's pause came to an end as she finally looked to Tierno to respond. Fueled by her newfound resolve, May gave a firm nod.

"Yeah, you're right. There is a part of me that wants to perform, and I'm not going to hold her back any longer." May answered and smiles broke out.

"And remember, if you need a smile before you start, just look for us," Ash assured her. "We're right there with you!"

May thanked them all again, and she took the lead in their return trip into the school, walking with her head held high.

* * *

Arriving backstage, May was greeted with many sighs of relief by her fellow performers.

"She's here!" Two of them called out to Fantina as they led May to the hostess. At the sight of May, Fantina rushed over and smothered her in a hug.

"Mademoiselle, you had us all so worried. Are you alright?" She asked May once she had separated from her.

"I'm fine Ms. Fantina, in fact," May paused and gave her teacher a bright smile. "I'm ready."

"I'm glad to hear those words," Nando called out to her. He wore a smirk as he stood beside his piano, garbed in an exquisite suit and his long hair was pulled back into a ponytail for the occasion. "You had me worried, too."

"As Dawn would say, ' _there's no need to worry_.'" May stated and she gave him a wink.

"How charming." Nando commented with a chuckle.

"Get ready you two, it's almost time now," Fantina said as she collected her microphone. The applause burst forth for the student on stage and Fantina left them to step out on the stage.

It was time.

"That was a wonderful performance, thank you again, Michelle!" Fantina said as Nando began to roll his piano out onto the stage with another student carrying his seat. "I'm sorry to say that we have arrived at our final performance for the night, but I assure you that we have something special for all to wrap up the show. She is one of the finest personalities among our senior class, welcome to the stage, May Maple!"

The crowd clapped as she came out on stage with a microphone in hand. The spotlights gathered at the center of the stage where she stood with Nando behind her. He took a few moments to get adjusted in his seat before he looked to May and gave a nod.

The go-signal.

May motioned for him to hold on for a moment as she looked out into the audience. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she licked her lips, scanning the crowd for the familiar faces she needed.

It didn't take her long to find them. Ash, Tierno, and their whole group of friends, they had all gotten to their feet and began to wave to her. Ash even went as far as to hoist Macy in the air for her to wave as well. As she made eye contact with each of them, they gave her a great big smile and May's heart was put at ease.

"You can do it, May!" A voice hollered and May looked to the front row.

She found Dawn and Drew looking up at her intently, and beside them was her mother and brother. They each gave her a smile, and the thumping in May's chest was but a distant memory.

May closed her eyes.

Took in a deep breath.

And when she opened them, she gave the audience a dazzling smile.

The sight of such a smile drew in the audience as they anxiously waited for her to begin. May looked back to Nando and gave a nod.

The real go-signal.

He dropped his hands on the piano keys to begin the introduction. With the lower notes, he established the tempo that May began to bounce in sync with. As Nando continued, May raised the microphone to her lips and began to harmonize to accompany the piano.

Down below, Ash stood in the aisle, mouth agape as he took in a breathtaking sight. May's wings sprouted from her back as she began to sing, sparkling from the spotlights that rested firmly on her. It was…spectacular. This was May Maple!

The audience began to clap once they had picked up on the beat of the song and soon enough the whole room became filled with Nando's piano, the beat of the audience, and May's voice!

Drew couldn't believe his ears. Even though he had been dating May for a few months now, he had no idea that she could sing _this_ well! Her voice wasn't just powerful, it was _extraordinary_. Even with all of the competing sounds, everything seemed to blend seamlessly with her voice, producing something that brought him and the entirety of the audience to their feet.

Everyone was dancing by the time May finished the chorus for the first time.

Going into the second verse, May looked more comfortable than ever. She was dancing with everyone else, shining brightly like a star on stage. As she sang, she showed her full range, from the low notes to the high notes.

And then she hit the audience right in the face! Nando's piano grew quiet as she started low and began to ascend the musical scale. As she climbed, everyone grew silent as she went higher and higher until she reached her peak and held that note. It reverberated through the auditorium and all who heard stood frozen in place. She cut herself off sharply as she swung her hand through the air and take the opportunity to draw in a few breaths.

"WHOOOOO!" Brock hollered and the audience got over their shock in that very moment. The cheers threatened to blow the roof off of the building, startling May as she looked out at the audience. There were people out there jumping for joy while others gave whistles of praise.

Down in the front row, Drew held his head with both hands as he looked toward Dawn. She only laughed at his expression of shock.

"Go get em' May!" Dawn piped up though her voice was lost in the cheers.

May looked toward Nando on stage, and he raised his brow with a smiled at her.

'Tell me when you're ready.' He mouthed to her and she gave a nod.

She raised the microphone again and broke out in the chorus. Nando joined her with his piano on her second time through, and the audience settled down enough for her to continue. Once again, a unified clap broke out among the spectators as May continued.

The dancing, the merriment, it was a sight to behold, and Trevor was capturing all of it with his cameras. The audience even joined her in singing the chorus as she went through it for the third and final time.

 _"Oh, don't you worry 'bout a thing, don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama!"_

Caroline stood in the audience, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes as she watched her daughter. It had been so long since she had seen May shine so brilliantly. She placed an arm around Max and pulled him close as they watched her together.

May arrived at the conclusion of her song, and it became a competition between her and Nando's piano for dominance. Nando raced up and down the keys while May harmonized her voice, matching his each and every note before she raised her voice and held her final note. One arm was outstretched to the crowd, and she leaned back slightly as she sang with all her might.

Then with one swift motion, she ended her tune and struck a pose.

The applause came down like a torrential rain shower. May was on stage beaming at the audience. She had done it! She went on stage and sang in front of everyone and no matter where she looked, there were smiling faces!

As she looked around the audience, she saw her friends and her gaze came to a halt at the sight of her mother. Caroline stood proudly with tears sliding down her cheeks. When she made eye contact, she took a bow as a gesture for May to do the same.

May bowed gracefully to the audience and Nando joined her in the action before Fantina came back out on stage. The audience was still clapping for them even after they had left, but Fantina waited patiently. When she was able to speak, she did so.

"What a wonderful performance," Fantina began and the audience began to cheer once again. She let out a laugh as she lowered the mic, waiting for the audience to get it all out of their system.

Backstage, May was surrounded by her peers, who were practically suffocating her with their compliments. She answered each of them with a gracious smile until they all heard Fantina call for the performers to return to the stage. One by one, the students joined her on stage, forming a line from one side to the other. The audience cheered for each of them and grew even livelier when May made her final appearance.

"Once again, these are our fabulous performers. Give them all one last round of applause!" Fantina said as she took a bow, and her cast of students followed suit.

In the audience, Ash stood with Macy seated on his shoulders clapping happily for May.

"What'd you think of that Macy?" Ash asked her.

"May is the best!"

"You got that right!" Ash agreed with her as he eyed the brunette on stage. After tormenting herself over the last two weeks, May looked exhilarated to be on stage. No matter how much she denied it up until tonight, May looked fantastic on stage, like it was the place she was meant to be.

* * *

An hour after the show was when May finally found herself among people that she was familiar with. After the show had concluded, almost everyone in attendance came to find her and tell her what they thought of her performance. She enjoyed all of the flattery, but after a while, she only cared about hearing what her friends had to say. She wanted to see their smiles especially!

The parking lot had emptied out considerably and the gang had all gathered by May's car. They gave May time to speak with her 'adoring fans,' and they cheered when she arrived.

Drew stood at the forefront of the group, a bouquet of flowers in hand and a smirk on his face as he waited for her. He opened his arms, ready to embrace May, but she went right past him. Most of the group stifled a laugh as Drew stared at her incredulously, but his shock faded as she saw her bend down to address the youngest person present.

"Hi Macy, did you have a good time?" May asked the small girl who beamed at May.

"You were awe-some!" She proclaimed and May's heart melted. That was all she wanted. This one smile. All the others were just a consolation…well, except for maybe _one more_. The smile of her mother that she saw from the stage, the smile that she needed most of all.

Max came up to her next and latched onto her in a hug. He didn't say anything and returned to his mother's side with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"I love you too, Max!" May called out and his cheeks turned bright red. May gave a small laugh at her brother's expense before she addressed the person that had been waiting first in line for her. She accepted the flowers from Drew and as thanks, placed a kiss on his cheek.

May called for Ash next to speak with him. It started with an apology for driving him crazy over the last few weeks, for snapping at him when he came to check on her. Then she thanked him for giving her that push to get her to perform tonight, and a smile was his reward. But it was different from all the other smiles May had given him up until tonight.

Her grin was broad, eyes gleaming and filled with purity. There was nothing forced about her smile. It was completely and totally…

Genuine.

May approached Dawn next to talk with her, leaving Ash to watch as her wings fluttered effortlessly behind her. He blinked a few times as they gradually faded away.

Someone cleared their throat beside Ash to get his attention. It was Drew.

"So uh, I gotta thank you for your help, Ash." Drew said as they both watched May converse with Dawn.

"Help?" Ash repeated.

"Yeah, helping May feel better. I'll admit that I thought your idea of making her enter the talent show was kind of crazy, but I've never seen her smile the way she did tonight," Drew revealed causing Ash to raise his brow. "So yeah, thanks for helping her. It's great seeing her be…you know, true to herself. It's like she was finally freed tonight."

Ash gave a small laugh at Drew's sentiments. May was indeed 'freed' tonight!

And it was all thanks to the courage she had developed.

Seeing May face her fear head-on reminded Ash of Pikachu's valiant effort over the last few weeks. The two of them had squared off against something that they had feared for years and grew stronger because of it.

 _It takes courage…_

Ash looked toward Dawn as she laughed with May.

"Well, I guess I don't have much of a choice," Ash said to himself after he took a deep breath. "I'm going in."

* * *

Ash and Dawn had separated themselves from the rest of the group at Ash's request. They were distracted with May, allowing the two of them to slip away and speak privately. Ash took her to the other side of the parking lot, where a few benches were located at the edge of the field.

The skies had darkened considerably now that the sun was hidden beneath the horizon. They sat in silence for a little while as Ash racked his brain on how to initiate the conversation. He cursed himself for his lack of better judgment. He had gotten so riled up over the courage of May and Pikachu that he thought he could be like them. So, with a gung-ho attitude he charged blindly into a conversation with Dawn that he had been putting off for months…and he had no idea what to say.

Thankfully, Dawn came to his rescue.

"Is there a reason you brought me over here, Ash?" She asked him and he gave her a quick nod.

"Yeah, there is," He said immediately, shaking his head with a chuckle. "I'm just, trying to figure out how to say this properly."

Dawn could hear it in his tone. It was a serious matter and the look he gave her was the final confirmation that she needed. So, she decided to take a page out of Ash's book.

"It's okay, Ash, just talk." She said to him.

Ash gave a deep sigh. He didn't know where to begin, but Dawn had opened the flood gates.

"Do you remember that conversation we had? You know, the _last one_?" He inquired and Dawn's shoulder dropped.

"Mhmm." She answered.

"At the end of it, you asked me if the kiss we had meant anything to me…" Ash paused for a moment.

Dawn remembered his exact words. _"I can't let it mean anything to me, Dawn."_

"When I said that…" Ash took a deep, courage-gathering breath, "I said it because I knew I couldn't be with you."

"But why though?" Dawn pressed; her head tilted.

Ash hesitated, the answer resting on the tip of his tongue. Should he tell her about the partnership between him and her father and put it all at risk? Or was it better to keep Dawn out of the loop?

He looked away for a moment as he recalled the ending to his relationship with Serena almost a year ago. It was a tragic ending that hurt him to this very day, and he knew that Serena was hurt far worse than him. He wanted to spare Dawn the pain that Serena went through because the situation with Dawn was eerily similar to what happened with Serena.

"If I'm going to be honest with you…I made a deal with your dad." Ash stated and Dawn furrowed her brow.

"What?"

"Remember I said that I was getting my shot to be a Pokemon trainer?" Ash reminded her, receiving a nod from Dawn. "In professional matches, lots of people place bets on your battle. You need a sponsor to match their bets and…your dad is my sponsor."

"But, what does that have to do with us?" Dawn asked him.

"It was one of the conditions for him to agree to be my sponsor. He didn't want me to get any closer to you…" Ash trailed off and Dawn looked away from him, taking a moment to let her mind process everything he had said.

The sudden distance Ash put between them was because his dream and livelihood were at stake…and _her father_ was behind this?

"And that's why you didn't want to _us_ to go any farther," Dawn concluded. "Because that was the way you would be able to make the money you needed…"

Ash gave her a slow nod.

"I-I don't understand though. Why would my dad say something like that?" Dawn questioned as she tried to make some sense of it. Why would her father make a request like this from Ash? It didn't make any sense!

"It's kind of obvious, though," Ash pointed out. "He's trying to protect you."

Dawn's eyes widened.

"Maybe not from me, per se, but from the lifestyle trainers have. Anything involving Pokemon could get you arrested, and he doesn't want you getting involved in all of that." Ash explained to her. "He's only looking out for you."

"But…but, that's…" Dawn couldn't find the words so Ash raised a hand to stop her.

"It's okay, Dawn, I don't want you to get upset with him," Ash went on. "I wanted you to know the truth because you deserve that much. It wasn't right of me to keep you in the dark, and I hurt you because of that."

Dawn looked back to Ash, her eyes now stern.

"You know what Ash, that's in the past now. What I want to know is; where do we go from here?" Ash raised his brow as she posed the question and a chuckle escaped his lips.

"You really are amazing, Dawn," Ash noted as he made eye contact. "I wish we could just stay friends and pretend that kiss never happened, but I don't think either of us could do that, right?"

Dawn's cheeks reddened as she pursed her lips.

"No…I won't ever forget that kiss, Ash, it was my first." Dawn admitted and Ash exhaled.

"I'm sorry it was with me."

"What are you apologizing for? That kiss was…" Dawn paused, struggling to complete the rest of this sentence. "…Really good."

"I thought so too," Ash added and they took a moment to sit in silence. "So then, where do you want us to go from here?"

Dawn stared at him, admiring his features in the darkness. The curve of his cheekbones, the glimmer in his eyes…the shape of his lips. Ash wasn't roguishly handsome or attractive, he was just an eighteen-year-old boy. She had never been interested in guys her own age because, for the most part, none of them knew what they wanted. It wasn't their fault; it was a natural part of youth. But Ash shattered that mold. He knew what he wanted, and he fought desperately to care for his family and reach his goals.

 _"Well, it's been exactly ninety-four years since the Great Crisis. People still fear Pokemon, and I think it's time for that to change."_

 _"It's not that easy, Dawn. Everyone has been…brainwashed into believing Pokemon are dangerous… if I really want to make a difference, I have to do something big…no, huge."_

 _"I mean, what's the point in having dreams if they're not motivating you?"_

 _"Anything is possible!"_

It was the reason she fell in love with him. He was so inspiring to watch. To see his zeal in action, his resilience in the face of hardship, and his willingness to stay true to his beliefs. Even at this very moment, Dawn couldn't escape the way he could draw someone out of their shell. It was just so easy to connect with him and his heart.

But Dawn knew that his heart was elsewhere.

"I don't think I could ever stop loving you," She stated and Ash's eyes grew wide and his face became scorching hot. "But I understand that you're trying to do something larger than yourself, and I won't stand in the way of that. I do hope that one day, I'll get to see this dream of yours."

Dawn had averted her gaze and sucked in her lips. At the sight of her actions, Ash scooched closer to her on the bench and wrapped an arm around her. She accepted his embrace and leaned into his shoulder, raising her spirits.

"Thank you, Dawn."

His voice was but a whisper, concealing the tremble in his voice.

Neither of them would see the tears of the other.

Regardless of how much her heart ached, there was no denying that the young man seated beside Dawn was unlike anyone she knew. Even if today marked the end of one phase of their relationship, Dawn still hoped to capture him one day in the future, because…he was special.

He was… _lightning in a bottle_.

* * *

 **A/N**

I hope you enjoyed this chapter because it was an absolute blast to write! It is now at the top of the list of my favorite chapters for a variety of reasons. I have a little checklist of goals for each chapter. Normally I missed on a few points, but this time around I managed to hit every single one so I'm proud of that! But that's enough gushing out of me lol.

In each of the chapters since ch.29, I've been giving little hints about the wings and the conversation between Ash and Volkner was another glimpse into the big picture of this story. I think this chapter was the biggest hint as to the direction of things, but most of this will be revisited seriously in the distant future.

Tell me what you thought about Pikachu's training. I don't want to stray too far from the way abilities work in Pokemon, but as I've said before, I'm trying to add more depth to Pokemon battles beyond just trading attacks. I want each attack to have the potential to be deadly when used correctly. Your thoughts and opinions are always appreciated.

And how about May's performance? For those wondering, she sang the same song that I referenced in the last chapter. 'Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing' by Stevie Wonder, though in her case, listen to the Tori Kelly version that was sung in the movie 'Sing.' I'm a sucker for musicals lol! All rights go to their respective sources and the talented people that produced this song and movie. Let me know what you thought, I'd really appreciate it!

I send praise to MjrGenMatt for working on this chapter with me. He is incredible at sifting through my work! He deserves as much credit as I do for the finished product we deliver.

Thank you all for reading and your continued support! As always, please review or PM me if you're on the shy side. I'm always up for talking with someone and I'm really nice :D if that gives you any extra incentive lol.

See you next time!


	33. Emergence

**Chapter 33**

* * *

 **Sunday, February 12th**

* * *

Cassidy was grateful.

Grateful for life.

Grateful for her adopted son who sat beside her in the car.

Grateful for his incredible friends, such as Brock and Shauna, who sat in the front seats.

The last four months had been a tumultuous blur, most of which she spent in a coma.

That evening when she woke up in a hospital bed back in January was a truly startling experience. It was incredibly difficult to grasp the fact that she had spent nearly three months in a coma. For her, it felt like a regular night of sleep, but _two and a half months_ had passed!

Cassidy could only wonder what she had missed in all the time. Thankfully, the hospital staff helped fill in the blank areas for her. She became well acquainted with the nurses, many of which were familiar with her trio of children, Macy especially. Cassidy would be rich if she received a nickel for every time one of the nurses used the word 'cute' to describe Macy.

However, this was only the beginning. The cardiologist that had been monitoring her coma, Ethan Avertt, had a long discussion with her about rehabilitation.

Cassidy learned that the cause of her coma was the heart attack she had suffered that night last October. The time she spent in a coma left her physically weak. She had a lot of work ahead of her in order to regain her lost strength. It was a discouraging experience at first.

Walking was exhausting, but they expected much more than that. It felt like torture to complete her exercises, but it had to be done if she wanted her body to reach a normal functioning capacity. A month of rehab came and went with regular visits from her children, and Cassidy's release date arrived.

Ash, Brock, and Shauna came to bring her home, back to the life she had been away from for so long.

They came to a stop at a red light and Cassidy was completely content to listen to the conversation between the three young adults around her. The car remained motionless even after the light had turned green, prompting Ash and Shauna to ask Brock what he was doing. Brock's gaze was on an attractive young woman on the sidewalk, his cheeks rosy as he observed her walk.

Ash and Shauna began to bark at their friend to get him focused and Cassidy couldn't help but laugh. Some things never change.

Soon enough, they entered the neighborhood where her home was located, and Cassidy couldn't suppress the smile on her face. It felt good to be back home. Brock was able to park directly in front of her house and Cassidy welcomed the sight of it. As she stared up at her home, Cassidy was anxious to see the girls again. This would be the first time that she would see them in the familiar surroundings of their house as opposed to the hospital.

Ash, Brock, and Shauna stepped aside for Cassidy to travel up the front steps first and enter the house. Upon entering, she was greeted by the sight of Casey and Macy along with all of Ash's friends.

"Surprise!" They shouted together. "Welcome home!"

Startled at first, Cassidy stole a quick glance at Ash and saw that he wore a cheeky grin. He really was something else.

* * *

A welcome home party.

Cassidy wasn't expecting anything of the sort. Her only intention was to go home and treat it like it was any other day. Instead, she found her house filled with Ash's closest friends, most of which Cassidy recognized.

They had a delicious spread of food curtsey of Brock and some incredible desserts made by Miette and Serena. Cassidy was happy to see all of them, and their little gathering was more relaxed than she expected, considering that she knew that they were a rowdy bunch once they got together.

Each of them took some time to sit down and talk with her to check and see how she was doing, to ask about her experiences in rehab and to let her know that if she needed in help with the girls, they were just a phone call away. As the party progressed, the heart of it remained in the kitchen while Cassidy relocated herself to the living room. Once there, she eased herself into the couch in the living room beside the open window. She looked up when she heard Ash's voice from outside and Serena was with him.

She couldn't help but smile hearing their lighthearted conversation, seated out on the front steps, like when they were dating. Cassidy thought back to the night Ash and the girls had come to visit her, after she finally woke up. Despite giving her daughters the bulk of her attention, Cassidy did notice that Ash spent nearly the entire time chatting quietly with Serena.

She was happy to see him speaking so naturally with her again.

Cassidy smirked as she heard Serena bellow with laughter at one of Ash's corny jokes. From the moment she had met Serena, Cassidy was in the camp of seeing Ash and Serena together.

Serena was good for Ash.

As cool and aloof as Ash would try to pretend to be, Serena would always bring out his _inner child_. The part of him that expressed his dreams with true sincerity. The part of him that smiled so brightly that you'd swear he was shining. Cassidy felt the two of them were meant to be together…but a certain bluenette came to mind.

Dawn was a great girl too.

Cassidy saw a different side of Ash with her. The genuine boy that he was around Serena, was somehow more mature, more _profound,_ whenever he was around Dawn.

Seeing Ash around different people was truly fascinating. It made Cassidy think of one line in particular from the letter Delia had left.

 _"Even at the young age of seven, I can see that people just gravitate to him…the way he talks, how he stands up for himself and everyone around him."_

Cassidy couldn't explain it, perhaps it was Delia intuition as Ash's mother, but she knew Ash was special from the beginning. There wasn't much of an explanation for it, not as far as Cassidy could see, but Ash had a way with people.

When Ash and Serena came back inside, Serena rejoined the pulse of the party in the kitchen while Ash checked on Cassidy. At the sight of him entering the living room, Cassidy beckoned for him to take a seat beside her.

"What?" Ash asked when he caught sight of the smirk on Cassidy's face.

"I heard you talking with Serena out there," Cassidy said with a nod toward the window. "I'm glad to see you guys are on better terms."

Ash scratched at the bridge of his nose; his cheeks tinged red.

"You and me both," Ash noted. "A lot of stuff happened while you were in the hospital, and I managed to mend some bridges that I thought I burned."

"That's good. Don't let Serena get away from you, she's a keeper."

Ash gave her a narrow glance and Cassidy snickered.

"Now go have some fun with your friends, but do me one favor. Send Brock in here, I want to talk with him." Cassidy said as she ushered him to get moving.

* * *

 **Monday, February 13th**

Ampharos swatted at the underbrush with her tail, clearing the way for Volkner to follow her, uninhibited, through the woodlands of Route 6. She looked back to her trainer, who thanked her graciously and they pressed onward. It was mid-morning as Volkner glanced up at the canopy above them, the sun's rays slipping through the leaves and creating a gorgeous scenery.

Their destination? They didn't have an exact answer, just a general location.

They were looking for someone, Ash's previous mentor: Giselle.

After seeing Ash battle Brawly back in December, his development as a trainer was almost frightening. It was thanks in no small part to Giselle. Volkner had seen her battle on a few occasions, and her prowess matched the stories he had heard about her. If there was anyone out there that could help Ash develop as rapidly as he did, it was Giselle.

Ampharos perked up after hearing a dull thud in the distance. She looked back to Volkner and made a gesture in the direction they would going. They continued working their way through the thick brush that occupied the floor of the forest until they arrived at a clearing.

At the edge of the open area was a Cubone who eyed one of tree trunks with his sharp gaze. He dashed forward and lowered his head, driving his durable skull into the base of the tree. The trunk shook visibly from the blow, but Cubone came away worse for the wear as he fell onto his back and remained there.

"Mmm, that one looked like it hurt," Giselle noted as she approached her partner and kneeled beside him. "You're getting better at this attack, but you're still hurting yourself just to use it."

"What are you working on?" Volkner inquired, startling Giselle as he and Ampharos stepped out into the clearing.

"V-Volkner?" Giselle exclaimed at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?"

"Well I came to talk to you, but I'm surprised that Cubone of yours' hasn't evolved yet," He noted as he studied the small Pokemon. Giselle shot him a narrow glance at the comment, while Cubone jumped to his feet to protest, though he wobbled from the sudden movement.

"When its time, Cubone will evolve," Giselle stated sternly. "But until then, we'll keep showing everyone that he doesn't need to evolve to win battles."

Cubone gave a shout of agreement. Volkner raised his hands in his defense.

"I didn't mean to offend," Volkner said before he returned to the original subject. "So what move are you practicing?"

"Iron Head." Giselle said after a brief pause.

"Ah, a steel type move," Volkner noted as she and Ampharos approached them. He squatted in front of Cubone to address him directly. "It's not going to be easy, but that hard skull of yours' means it's doable. Just keep working at it."

Cubone gave him a small nod of respect before he returned his focus to the tree in front of him. Giselle eyed Volkner skeptically as they stood up and took shelter in the shade of the trees.

"So…long time no see." Volkner commented as he looked to Giselle. He caught sight of the hard stare from her and raised his brow. Despite the look Giselle shot when Ampharos came and snuggled up beside her, Giselle's expression brightened considerably.

"It's good to see you too, Ampharos," She said kindly as rubbed the top of Ampharos' head.

"Don't I get anything?" Volkner asked and Giselle shot a glare in his direction. "Alright, I'll just stick to what I came here for. I wanted to ask you a few questions about Ash."

Giselle seemed to soften up a bit at the mention of her training partner. Ash had told her that he would be training with Volkner going forward, and despite her disdain for Volkner, she couldn't let Ash pass on an opportunity to learn directly from one of the Five Kings. In fact, Giselle couldn't help but smirk. She could bet that Volkner was probably asking himself the same questions about Ash that she did a few months ago.

"What do you want to know?" Giselle asked him with a motion to proceed.

"Pikachu learns _very_ quickly." Volkner began and Giselle gave a nod. "It's kind of scary if you know what I mean."

"I do," Giselle said in reply. "They're like sponges. They soak up everything you teach them. Have you battled them yet?"

"Not yet. They're not ready." Volkner replied.

"Well whenever you do…be ready. They're specialty is innovating. _They will_ find a way to catch you off guard." Giselle warned him. They stood in silence for a moment, observing Cubone as he prepared another attempt of Iron Head. "So, what do you think of Ash?"

"What do I think of him?" Volkner repeated, his brow furrowed.

"What do you think his ceiling is as a trainer?" Giselle reiterated.

"Oh, that's tough," Volkner commented. "It's hard to tell. His ceiling is beyond anything I can imagine right now, for reasons you probably won't understand."

"And there you go with that again," Giselle proclaimed as she pointed at him. "I thought you might have taken a hint after I left you to stop giving all these vague answers, but some things never change, huh?"

Volkner merely smirked at her, his brow raised.

"Can you explain yourself, just this once?" Giselle practically begged him and Volkner complied.

"Here's an example," He began. "When I first became a trainer, I had an idea of what kind of trainer I wanted to be. A patient, methodical strategist was what I envisioned and aspired to become. When I asked Ash what sort of trainer he was aiming to become, he didn't have an answer."

Giselle wasn't surprised.

When she first met Ash, that was exactly the sort of impression he gave her. He wanted to become a trainer, but he wasn't sure what _kind_ of trainer he wanted to be. He could be a strategist in the same vein as Giselle and Volkner. A brawler similar to Brawly and his Medicham. An oppressive defensive specialist like N. Or could he mold himself to command a relentless offense through Pikachu?

"Now the reason I said that is because he has this weird way of…innovating, like you said," Volkner said with a gesture to her. "A trainer might spend years working on a particular style or move, and then Ash will come along and warp it to fit whatever he's doing. If I had to be honest, I feel like one day that kid might figure out how to blend _every_ battle style together at the same time. Now there's something I would love to see."

Giselle gave a nod of agreement. Volkner's thoughts matched her own.

Ash was a dynamic battler, one with the potential to surpass every trainer in history!

"How long do you think it would take him to reach that point?" Giselle asked curiously.

"That all depends on him. His growth seems to correlate directly with the challenges he is facing," Volkner replied and Giselle raised her eyebrows at his insight. "If we were to push him, I feel like you'd see him develop at a ridiculous pace."

"But how would you define 'pushing' him?"

"Put a strong opponent in front of him."

* * *

Charles Goodshow had been alive for sixty-one years, and in that time, he had met many trainers. Through his many interactions with different trainers, Charles had developed an eye for detail, which he prided himself over. With only one conversation, he could determine a trainer's personality and battling style, and his assumptions proved to be correct a vast majority of the time.

Seated in his office, Charles gave the young man in front of his desk a crooked glance.

Of all the people to appear in his office this afternoon, Volkner was the last person Charles was expecting. Not only that, but he came with a request that Charles could hardly understand.

"Can you repeat that for me?" Charles asked him.

"I want you to set up a match between Ash Ketchum and his father." Volkner stated in a deadpan.

Charles snorted and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his desk.

"Tell me why _you_ , of all the people out there, are asking for this match?" Charles inquired as he concealed his mouth behind his hands, hiding his smile from Volkner.

"You know as well as I do that Ash Ketchum is special," Volkner said. " _We all_ saw his wings that night."

"But tell me why he should have a match against his father." Charles said with a motion for Volkner to get to the point.

"Ash is walking the Path of Mastery," Volkner stated and Charles narrowed his eyes. "His father is a distraction. Ash needs to get over this, the sooner the better."

"I'm afraid that isn't how it works, Volkner," Charles said. "I've already given Ash a set of conditions if he intends to challenge his father. Ash hasn't met the requirements yet."

"What do you expect from him?"

"He has to earn the right to challenge his father. I expect him to be ranked within the top ten trainers of the circuit before I even consider organizing a match between them." Charles explained.

"You're wasting your time waiting for him to climb up the ranks. He could challenge anyone outside of the Five Kings and beat them." Volker stated and Charles averted his gaze.

Volkner did have a point. It had been nearly a month since Ash's last match, and Charles was struggling to find him an opponent. The trainers that were close to Ash's current ranking wanted no part of him. It was obvious after how he dismantled 'Blitz' that Ash was far stronger than his current rank implied.

On the flip side, his ranking was a detriment when Charles was pitching a match against trainers with a higher ranking. Many of the highly ranked trainers suffered from a bloated ego that wouldn't dare be involved in a match with someone ranked so far beneath them. It left Ash is a peculiar situation where Charles couldn't find him an opponent.

"It doesn't matter who it is, he needs to face someone that will actually push him," Volkner continued. "And I promise you, he will surprise you."

Charles pursed his lips as he observed Volkner's expression. The blonde was among the more reserved people that Charles knew, but seeing him speak so strongly about Ash forced Charles to reconsider.

He had been trying to find a match for Ash for three weeks now, with no results. It seemed as though Charles was down to his last option.

"I know someone, I'll make a call," Charles said. A silence set in as Volkner observed Charles expectantly. "You can go now."

Volkner moved to one of the open seats in the room and took a seat.

"I'll leave once I know Ash has a match."

Charles took a deep breath.

"Alright, suit yourself. It's a long-distance call to Unova, so I don't even know if he's awake right now. Do you intend to stay if my friend doesn't pick up?" Charles asked Volkner with a smirk.

"If he doesn't answer than I hope you're ready to have a new roommate." Volkner retorted and Charles shot him a glance.

Charles reached for his phone and called his assistant.

"Melissa, can you connect me to Cedric?" Charles asked, and a silence set in as he waited. The dial tone sounded several times, so Charles passed the time by avoiding eye contact with Volkner. The young man was just staring at him the entire time. Finally, there was a click and an older voice answered the phone.

Volkner listened closely to their lighthearted conversation. It was obvious the two of them had quite a history, as they spent some time catching up from the last time they spoke.

"Oh yeah, how is your daughter…She's twenty-two already? Time really does fly. Tell her I said hello, and I'm looking forward to meeting her in person one day." Charles said.

Volkner leaned back into his seat as the conversation covered various subjects. It was a while before Charles arrived at the only topic Volkner was interested in.

"I know it's been a while since you've made an appearance in my circuit, but would you be interested in a match?" Charles inquired and there was a pause. "It's a special case. A very promising prospect. You would be an excellent opponent to help us gauge his potential."

Charles began to nod as Cedric shared his response. A smile broke out on Charles' face.

"Excellent. I'll have my assistant arrange a flight for you to Vermilion City." Charles stated. "Oh, your daughter too. We can cover the cost, and this would be a great opportunity for me to meet her anyway. It was great hearing from you, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again."

The call was ended, and Charles looked to Volkner.

"Well, we've got a match for him."

Volkner gave his signature crooked grin.

* * *

 **Tuesday, February 14th**

Cedric ' _Old School'_ Juniper

Rank: 92

Registered Pokemon: Dewott

Record: 206 Wins, 32 Losses

Giselle made a face after reading the profile of Ash's latest opponent. Giselle could hardly believe that Ash had leapfrogged his way to a match with someone among the top one hundred! And it was Cedric Juniper, no less!

Cedric wasn't just some ordinary trainer; he was a highly respected Pokemon researcher who had dozens of reports published on the PokeHub. Not only that, but this was a savvy circuit veteran with over two hundred wins to boot! If there was anyone that could pick Ash apart, it was him.

Giselle looked to Ash as he stood in their usual clearing on Route 6 with Pikachu and Cubone. They were already practicing for their battle, and after her discussion with Volkner, Giselle felt like testing Ash as well.

"So, Ash, what's your game plan?" Giselle asked him. He left Pikachu and Cubone to continue their duel while he joined Giselle at the edge of the clearing.

"Well, I know for a fact that this guy has a ton of experience. He's been in like, _thirty times_ the amount of battles I've been, in so I can't just battle him normally," Ash explained, and Giselle gave a nod of approval. "I looked up some of the bios on Dewott using the PokeHub, and it turns out that Dewott's use a weapon like your Cubone. So, I thought you guys might be the perfect partners to help Pikachu be ready to battle at close range with Dewott."

"That's good thinking, we're happy to help."

"I'm still not so sure what exactly I'm going to do yet. I don't want to be surprised as soon as the battle starts." Ash explained and Giselle smiled knowingly.

"It's good that you're being cautious," She stated. "But remember not to be overly cautious. Being aggressive has its place in a battle, but the middle ground between those two is where you want to be."

Ash gave a nod. He couldn't afford to be reckless against a trainer with so much more experience with him. But he also couldn't be so afraid that he abandoned his usual battling style. Giselle was right, he needed to find that middle ground and go from there.

"Are you nervous?" Giselle asked, causing him to look at the clearing where Pikachu was evading Cubone's attacks with ease.

"Nope. I know this battle is a big deal, because I'll jump up practically three hundred spots in the rankings, but I'm not really thinking about all that right now," Ash explained, and Giselle furrowed her brow. "Me and Pikachu worked really hard to get to this point, so I've decided to stay focused on that, the two of us. We're getting stronger every day as we practice, but I know the best way to improve is to battle strong trainers. The money and all that stuff don't matter right now. We just want to get stronger."

Giselle admired his attitude. It was evident now more than ever that Ash had become a _student of the game_.

"That's the right way to think about it, Ash. Look at every battle as a chance to improve, and you'll keep getting better," Giselle added. "I can't wait to see how you do in this battle."

* * *

 **Saturday, February 18th**

Standing among the masses outside of the Hidden Cove stadium, Ash couldn't help but feel that the day of the battle arrived quickly. Of course, he only had five days' notice to prepare, but the time flew by.

Rather than train with Volkner, Ash opted to practice with Giselle for the past week. Her Cubone proved to be an excellent partner for Pikachu to practice facing a Pokemon that wielded a weapon. The training proved invaluable as they focused more on Pikachu's footwork to avoid taking damage at close range. But there was so much more Ash had learned about Dewott over the course of the week, thanks to the PokeHub.

Ash wasn't the biggest fan of reading, but the articles on the evolutionary line of Oshawott proved to be fascinating. Unlike Giselle's Cubone, who had to carry his bone everywhere, Oshawott and their evolutions, Dewott and Samurott, could attach their 'scalchops' to their body to eliminate the need of carrying their weapon. This line of Pokemon was exclusive to the Unova region, scattered about the region in small tribes. Each of these tribes developed their own distinct fighting style when using their scalchops, but if two tribes were ever to cross paths, both sides would be eager to see who's fighting style was superior. More often than not, this proved to be a learning experience, as both tribes incorporated techniques from the others.

Ash could imagine two tribes of the Oshawott-line squaring off in a lonely clearing. The tension was thick as the strongest representative from each tribe stepped forward with an air of confidence, ready to test the skills of their opponent.

Through his studies of the Oshawott-line, Ash discovered that water type Pokemon were more formidable than he had given them credit for. All water Pokemon had a measure of control of their natural affinity. Just like how Pikachu was learning to manipulate electricity, water type Pokemon could do the same with water. Even the slightest bit of moisture in the air could be used as a weapon by an experienced water type Pokemon.

The matchup against Cedric's Dewott favored Pikachu, since they had a type advantage going into it. But Ash knew that he couldn't rely on that heavily. Giselle told him many times that the best trainers will prepare very well when they face a type disadvantage, and look for ways to neutralize it. Cedric was a veteran, so Ash was certain he had at least a handful of countermeasures ready for Pikachu.

Ash struggled to imagine how Dewott could counter Pikachu's electricity, and the ideas in his head were making him anxious. He wanted to plan ahead, to be ready for whatever Cedric was going to throw at them. Perched on Ash's shoulder, Pikachu immediately took notice of Ash's change in demeanor when his shoulder became tight. Pikachu gave Ash's shoulder a squeeze with his tiny paws, earning the attention of his trainer.

"Pika," Pikachu began as their eyes met. "Pi-pika, Pikachu."

 _Let's just do what we always do._

Ash let out a soothing breath and gave his partner a nod.

"You're right Pikachu," Ash said. "I need to stay relaxed, and trust in you."

The smiles they wore were mutual.

"Hey, Ash!" Brock called out as he and Giselle returned with the match schedule for tonight's event. "You're not going to believe this!"

"Believe what?"

"Can you guess what your match number is tonight?" Brock asked him as the trio came together.

"Uh…I don't know, Cedric is a pretty high rank, so I guess somewhere close to the end, right?" Ash said, but Brock beamed in response.

"You got as close to the main event as you could," Brock replied and it took a moment for it to register in Ash's mind. "You're the semi-final dude!"

"I'm the semi?" Ash exclaimed.

 _Semi-Final_ – 'Quest' vs 'Old School' – 346/50

Giselle watched as the two of them gushed over Ash's achievement. The semi-final and main event were often reserved for the most famous participants each weekend at the Hidden Cove. For Ash to be taking part in a semi-final was no small feat.

However, the real news was one of the trainers taking place in the main event. It had everyone outside the stadium in a buzz.

 _Main Event_ – The Wild Ones – 'Axel' vs 'Restraint' – 3/1

Ash's gaze became narrow at the sight of Cross' battle tag.

 _"That Pikachu of yours didn't stand a chance in the first place, you were right not to trust him in a battle with Lycanroc."_

There were very few things that Ash hated. Among those things was a single person, someone Ash barely knew. Yet Cross had done a magnificent job of earning Ash's resentment.

Both he and Cross would be battling from the blue box tonight, so they would be in the same waiting room as well. Ash dreaded the idea of having to even be in the same room as Cross, but with a deep breath, Ash put these thoughts aside. Cross was the last thing he should be thinking about right now. Cedric and his Dewott were Ash's only concern right now.

There was a chime from the main entrance of the stadium, a sound cue that all the trainers recognized as their call to enter the lobby. Ash and Pikachu parted ways with Brock and Giselle with a few final words of encouragement.

"Stay calm and focused, you'll know what to do when it's time."

"You got this, Ash, just do your best and I know you'll win for sure."

* * *

Brock and Giselle were quite the talking partners, so the time until general admission passed quickly for them. As the security of the stadium re-opened the main entrance for the masses, Brock and Giselle were stopped on their way by one of the guards.

No more than a minute passed before a young woman that Brock recognized entered the lobby. It was Melissa, Charles' beautiful assistant.

"Well, hello there!" Brock exclaimed at the sight of her. He rushed to greet her and got down on one knee, gingerly caressing one of her hands. "It's been some time since we last spoke, perhaps I was too forthcoming at that time. But I hope you would've reconsidered my offer to kindle a love between us that is brighter than any star in the galaxy!"

Melissa deadpanned.

"No thanks," Melissa stated and Brock slumped over for only a moment. He recovered immediately as he stood upright, allowing Melissa to explain why she had come to speak to them. "Charles Goodshow has requested that the two of you join him in his private booth to spectate the matches tonight."

"Really?!" Brock couldn't believe that Charles wanted them to watch the matches with him!

Melissa gave a nod and gestured for the duo to follow her. She led them into one of the stairwells that was manned by a single security guard. They shared a nod with him as they passed and journeyed to the upper levels of the stadium. Soon enough, they arrived at the door to Charles' booth, and Melissa allowed them to enter.

The first thing that caught Brock's attention was the young woman seated on the sofa who was equally as, if not more, attractive than Giselle and Melissa.

"Wow!" Brock shouted as he dashed to her side and snatched up one of her hands in his own. "Hi there, do you believe in love at first sight?"

Melissa and Giselle shared a glance as they stood at the entrance to the room.

"Is he for real?" Melissa asked her quietly.

"Yes, this…is _normal_ for him," Giselle muttered in reply before she quickly added. "Or, at least that's what Ash says."

"Wow, he's something else."

"Ah, Giselle, thank you for coming tonight," Charles said as he welcomed her warmly. "Thank you very much for bringing them, Melissa."

"It was my pleasure." Melissa replied as she gave Charles a parting nod. She left them to return to her duties, and everyone's attention returned to Brock and the brunette he was attempting to swoon.

"So, what do you say? Would you like to be my partner in the game called love?" Brock asked her sporting a grin. She eyed him incredulously for a moment.

"Are you a Pokemon trainer?" She asked him in return.

"No, but I promise you tha-"

"Pass." She interjected, and Brock was dejected after being rejected.

Charles laughed at their exchange before he called the three of them together.

"I invited you two to join me tonight since I have a special guest," Charles explained as he made a gesture to the young woman that stood with them. "This is Aurea Juniper."

"Juniper?" Giselle repeated. "So, you're Cedric's daughter?"

Aurea shot a grin at Giselle in reply.

"The one and only!" She declared.

Giselle sized her up. She had been wondering why Aurea was wearing a lab coat over her skirt and blouse. If she was the daughter of a famous Pokemon researcher, at least it kind of made sense, though Giselle still found her fashion sense to be rather cringeworthy.

"So, you're here to watch your dad battle Ash?" Brock asked her. Aurea shot him a narrow glance before she replied.

"Not really, my dad dragged me along on this trip so that I could meet Mr. Goodshow." Aurea explained to them.

"Is this your first-time visiting Kanto?"

"Yup, and I gotta say, the weather is so much nicer here than in Unova. It's the dead of winter over there right now, so I'm loving Kanto," Aurea went on. "I can't believe its summer year-round here."

Kanto and Johto were both very close to the equator, which was responsible for their consistent weather throughout the year. Hoenn and Alola were the only other regions that enjoyed these weather patterns while the others experienced more varied temperatures through the changing seasons.

"I can see why Mr. Goodshow opted to build the circuit in Kanto. There's nothing here to stop trainers from battling all year long." Aurea commented, causing Brock to furrow his brow.

"Would bad weather even stop a trainer from battling?" Brock asked her.

"Not the weather. The police all over Unova really crack down on battles during the summer, because that's when most trainers are active," Aurea explained causing Giselle and Brock to share a glance. "Places like Castelia City are the worst for trainers."

"Well I will admit that your hunch is correct, Aurea," Charles said to answer her question. "Kanto has always been more…relaxed, about Pokemon battles than other regions…perhaps with the exception of Kalos, but I also chose Kanto for a few other reasons as well. But we're not here to discuss why the circuit is in Kanto, we're here to watch some of the best trainers battle each other tonight."

Right on cue, the MC of the event took his place at the center of the battlefield and called for everyone's attention.

* * *

From the waiting room within the depths of the Hidden Cove, Ash could hear the crowd's reaction to each exchange of attacks. The night was proceeding as expected, the matches all following their predicted outcomes. However, Ash found that his focus was split.

As he sat on one of the benches, he fought to focus on his upcoming match with all his might. But try as he might, as the number of trainers dwindled, Ash found that his attention kept traveling back to a certain ginger-haired trainer.

Cross stood on the opposite side of the room in solitude, leaning against the wall. He watched the television monitor with mild interest, his gaze narrow and stoic as always. Ash didn't care for him…not one bit! So why was he so fixated on Cross?

 _"That Pikachu of yours didn't stand a chance in the first place, you were right not to trust him in a battle with Lycanroc."_

That was why.

He wanted to prove Cross wrong, and show him Pikachu's incredible ability.

Ash shook his head, silenced his musing.

Now wasn't the time to be thinking about something so…trivial.

What mattered now was his upcoming match. Ash cleared his head to focus solely on his final preparations for the match.

Even though Cedric had a clear advantage in experience, Ash and Pikachu had a few things going in their favor. They had the element of surprise. Pikachu's speed may have been well documented by now thanks to the PokeHub, but their lessons with Volkner had expanded their move pool significantly, and it would continue to grow going forward.

If they could surprise Cedric early and catch him flat-footed, they could steal the momentum and hopefully snatch an early knockout.

Ash felt Pikachu small paws grip his shoulder harder, and he left his mind to check on his partner. He looked to Pikachu and saw that his stance had tightened as he looked up at…Cross.

"Well well, look who's here." Cross stated, as he looked down at Ash with his uncaring gaze.

Ash took a glance around the room and discovered that they were the only trainers left. He returned his gaze to Cross and matched his detached expression.

"What do _you_ want?" Ash asked him.

"I thought it might be worthwhile to ask you how it feels to be _my opening act_?" Cross inquired as raised his head and donned a smug little smirk.

Ash knew without a doubt that Cross was only trying to provoke him. It was no use playing right into his hand, so Ash opted for an answer that couldn't add fuel to the fire.

"I'm not thinking about it right now," Ash responded calmly. "I'm focused on my match, and that's all."

Cross raised his brow for a moment.

"Focus all you want, that's not going to help you anymore. A trainer like you doesn't belong at the top of the circuit, this match will be as far as you ever get. The _semi-final_." Cross said vehemently.

"And what makes you say that?" Ash asked him. Cross snorted and rolled his eyes.

"You're clueless!" He declared. "You battle with an over-dependence on one combination, _and nothing else_. Do you honestly think that you'll keep winning like that?"

Ash didn't respond. Cross' analysis of him was spot on…but a month old.

"Awful trainers like you with terrible Pokemon will stay at the bottom of the circuit _where you belong_." Cross stated as he pointed at each of them.

"Pika!" Pikachu snapped at him, his cheeks crackling as a warning.

Ash raised his hand and placed it on Pikachu's head to soothe his partner. This small connection caused Pikachu's anger to fade as Cross walked away from them. Pikachu looked toward Ash, who had closed eyes and took in a deep, calming breath.

"Pi-ka?" Pikachu asked him quietly.

"Don't worry about him right now, Pikachu," Ash replied. "Let's stay focused on what matters, and that's the battle with Cedric. Cross is only trying to distract us from our battle so that we look bad. Just forget about him."

Ash looked to Pikachu and they nodded to each other.

The entrance to the waiting room opened and one of the attendants stepped in.

"We're going into the semi-final, I need 'Quest' out here!" He called out and Ash rose from his seat.

* * *

"And now, our semi-final match!" The MC announced and a hush descended upon the audience. "We have a very peculiar matchup tonight. The youngest trainer in the circuit will be battling one of the oldest! So, in the blue box, the younger of our two participants, an eighteen-year-old upstart who has taken part in three matches so far, and secured a victory in all of them! Please welcome, ' _Quest_!'"

As always, Ash came sprinting out onto the battlefield as the audience cheered. Once situated in his box, he adjusted the cap on his head and stared anxiously at the opposite tunnel.

"And his opponent, one of the underground circuit veterans. He debuted on the first night that the circuit opened almost ten years ago! He is one of the few trainers in circuit history to have won over _two hundred matches_! Give a big round of applause to our trainer in the red box, ' _Old School_!'"

A middle-aged gentleman stepped out from the tunnel, well dressed in a collared shirt and a pair of slacks. He was none other than Cedric Juniper. He moved slowly to his box, waving to the audience with a great smile.

"'Old School!' Thanks for coming back!"

"It's so good to see you again!"

It took some time before Cedric was comfortable in his box, but Ash didn't mind. It gave him the time to go through his mental checklist one last time. When the crowd had settled down, the two trainers were called to the center of the battlefield to allow the referee to explain the rules.

Ash didn't pay particularly close attention to the referee. He had already memorized the rules of an official battle at the Hidden Cove. So, he used the time to observe Cedric closely. When Cedric caught sight of Ash's intense stare, he smiled graciously in response.

Once the ref finished his monologue, he motioned for them to shake hands. Cedric took Ash's hand in both of his and leaned toward him.

"May the best man, and Pokemon, win." He stated.

Ash gave a nod and they went their separate ways.

"Trainers, your Pokemon!" The ref called out after they returned to their respective boxes.

"Alright Pikachu, let's do this." Ash said as Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder and ran out onto the field.

"Dewott, it's time for a battle!" Cedric announced as he hurled a Pokeball over the field. It opened up to release his partner, who struck a pose as the crowd began to cheer. "It's been a while since our last match Dewott, don't take them lightly."

Dewott sent a nod back to Cedric, and then took a moment to study Ash and Pikachu. He drew one of his scalchops from the fur on his hips and pointed it at Pikachu.

"De-wott!" He declared and Pikachu stamped his front paws.

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, his cheeks beginning to crackle.

"It looks like our Pokemon are ready to begin." Cedric noted with a smile.

"I'm feeling the same way." Ash responded as all eyes went to the referee.

Seeing that everyone was ready, the referee didn't waste a moment. He swung his flags to signal the start of the battle.

"Pikachu let's start strong! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash barked as he threw his fist in the air. The electricity surged around Pikachu and a sizable bolt of lightning jumped from Pikachu immediately. Cedric's raised his brow but responded quickly.

"Dewott, use Razor Shell!" He called out.

Dewott tightened his grip on the scalchop he held. With it, he snatched the moisture out of the air and it all enveloped his scalchop, igniting it in a cyan aura that that took the shape of a blade. Dewott raised the tip of his weapon to intercept the Thunderbolt, cutting through the attack with ease.

There exclamations of awe from the audience at the sight of the lightning bolt separating in front of Dewott and dancing around the field.

When Pikachu's attack came to an end, Cedric stroked his small beard. Charles had warned him that Ash's battle footage would be irrelevant by the time they battled, but Cedric peeked to get an idea of what Ash and Pikachu were capable of. But with one attack Ash and Pikachu proved that Charles meant everyone word.

Pikachu's charge-up time for electrical attacks had been reduced significantly, so Cedric and Dewott would only have a fraction of the time they thought they had to defend.

Ash nodded to himself. It was just as he predicted. Cedric and Dewott did have an answer to their electric type attacks, so it would take more than a straightforward attack to get in some electrical damage. They had new tools at their disposal so he was certain that he could figure out a way to topple Cedric's defenses. After all, that was the fun part of a battle and that brought a smile to Ash's face.

"Okay, Pikachu let's start testing them out. Quick Attack and Double Team!" Ash commanded and Pikachu's all-out attack began. He rushed Dewott with twelve images flickering around him.

"Dewott, use Fury Cutter and keep them back!" Cedric hollered.

Seeing the approaching onslaught, Dewott drew his second scalchop and slid into his fighting stance. Ash watched in awe as Dewott masterfully worked his way through Pikachu's combination. His footwork was impeccable as he struck down each image with no wasted movement. Exactly what they had been expecting. Dewott was a master at close range combat.

Ash was glad he had done some research on Dewott prior to the match. Pikachu would've charged in blindly into a Pokemon that specialized in short-ranged battles and they would've gotten throttled. Thankfully, Ash had left Pikachu with the direction to exercise caution and search for any patterns in Dewott's defense. As Pikachu circled around Dewott, they made eye contact briefly and Pikachu felt a chill travel down his back. Dewott seemed to be tracking his movements among the after images that scurried around the field.

Despite the brief wave of uncertainty, Pikachu committed to an attack and dashed in at Dewott from his side. The otter Pokemon reacted perfectly, turning to face Pikachu as he attacked and lashed out with his scalchops. Again, if it weren't for Ash's warning, Pikachu would've thrown caution to the wind and taken a serious hit. Thankfully, he reacted to Dewott's attack and performed a backstep, evading Dewott's counterstrike.

They had a standoff, staring each other down. Dewott shot Pikachu a smirk and fell back into his fighting stance, making a gesture for Pikachu to attack once again. They hardly shared any words, yet the two Pokemon seemed eager to test the limits of their opponent. A rivalry was brewing between them.

"Pika!" Pikachu tore off in another dash around Dewott, zigzagging to summon another array of after images to join him on the field. They whizzed around Dewott silently as he looked around, then a dance began.

Pikachu would attack and Dewott would counter to force him away. Watching them go back and forth as the process repeated itself, Ash had the utmost respect for Dewott. Pikachu was already pushing the limits of his speed and Dewott was reacting to each of his attacks, not with any sort of fancy abilities, but just his finely developed reflexes. Of course, with over two hundred matches in the underground circuit, Dewott likely possessed a wealth of experience battling fast Pokemon. Sure, Pikachu was a fast Pokemon, but they had more than just speed in their arsenal!

"Pikachu, let's add Spark into the mix!" Ash called out. Their exchange continued as Ash's command reached Pikachu, and his offense changed. The caution he had been acting with faded and his aggression came to life along with an electrical cloak around him.

"Dewott, use Razor Shell!" Cedric commanded as their counter to the electricity. His scalchops gained an aquamarine shielding that he used to make physical contact with Pikachu, who had gotten too close. Dewott batted away his opponent, but Pikachu didn't hesitate to reengage. Spark provided a measure of damage reduction that proved to be a big help in tanking the damage from Razor Shell. Pikachu pressed into Dewott's space and anticipated his counter strike, using a quick sidestep to dodge it. But Dewott had two hands and two scalchops. Even if Pikachu dodged one, the other was always waiting for him.

Dewott's training was evident now more than ever. No matter how often he missed, he always had another attack waiting in the shadow of the last one. Regardless of Pikachu's effort, he was stuck trying to get past Dewott's well-established defense. Even though the results were the same, the crowd seemed to be mesmerized watching these two Pokemon go back and forth.

Pikachu's insistence on attacking as he jumped in and back out to avoid Dewott's defensive strikes. It was like watching the tide wash in on the beach and roll back out.

Ash pounded his palm as it dawned on him. They just needed a big wave!

Pikachu came to a halt at Ash's small action and took a glance back at his trainer. Through their wordless communication, there was a mutual understanding. Now wasn't a time for the grace of the footwork they had practiced. This was the time for them to be brutes!

The electricity around Pikachu crackled with a new intensity before Pikachu charged forward. As always, Dewott anticipated Pikachu's approach and intercepted his attack with one of his glowing scalchops. But rather than avoid the attack, Pikachu met it head-on with his shoulder. There was an audible clang as their attacks met and the two Pokemon made eye contact briefly before Pikachu struck.

All the electrical manipulation that Pikachu had practiced came flooding from his memory banks. Dewott had been canceling out his lightning using his scalchop, but now Pikachu was making a concerted effort to bypass this. Through their slight body contact, Pikachu unleashed a short-ranged Thunder Wave that traveled up Dewott's arm before he forcefully knocked Pikachu away from him. However, it was too late. The damage had been done.

Dewott's scalchop fell to the field.

The muscles in Dewott's right arm spasmed wildly from the sudden surge of electricity, and he couldn't even hold his scalchop. He focused on his arm, attempting to soothe the trembling, but it was no avail. His right arm fell limply to his side and Pikachu smirked at the condition of his opponent.

"Whoo! Awesome, Pikachu!" Ash called to his partner after seeing their success. "Now let's show them what we're made of! Use Spark with Double Team!"

Without Quick Attack in the mix, Pikachu could only produce four after-images to run alongside him, but this was more than enough to get the best of Dewott. He fought valiantly to keep Pikachu at bay, but with only one arm, he could only fend off half of Pikachu's attacks. The damage was piling up already!

"Dewott, disengage. Keep them back with Water Sport, then follow up with Water Pledge!" Cedric called out.

Dewott sheathed the scalchop he held and snatched up the other that he had dropped. Then he leaped backward to create some space from Pikachu. Both commands Ash and Pikachu were unfamiliar with, and their caution returned. Pikachu kept his distance in order to see what kind of move this would be.

With a great shout, Dewott slammed his one usable hand onto the field. Ash raised his brow with intrigue as the air around the field became dry, yet the surface of the ground was damp, and it quickly became soaking wet. Ash tilted his head and looked up. He was certain that he could hear running water in the distance.

As he looked to the field, though, he saw that the water that coated the ground was in motion. It was gathering around Pikachu and his Double Team in a circle. Pikachu looked around nervously before the water built up around his feet and a geyser of water erupted from beneath him, eliminating Pikachu's after images and hurling the electric type into the air with an exclamation.

"Now use your Aqua Jet!" Cedric shouted as he pointed up at the airborne Pikachu. Water cascaded around Dewott which he used to propel himself into the air, making a beeline toward his opponent.

Pikachu was practically defenseless in the air as Dewott struck him, knocking him back up into the air to strike again with Aqua Jet. Ash bit down on his lower lip as he saw Pikachu being juggled in the air by Dewott, denying him any opportunity to get back on the ground. It was Dewott's turn to deal some damage and he wasn't wasting the opportunity.

Pikachu didn't have a strong defense, so any damage was serious damage and Ash racked his brain for an answer to this. He had seen someone use Aqua Jet before, recently in fact. It was in…last match he had seen Cross in. Morris the 'Admiral' and his Floatzel. There was a point where they used Aqua Jet to pressure Cross' Lycanroc…and how did Cross deal with it?

They made a shield with Rock Tomb to protect themselves. Pikachu didn't have the luxury of using the field to protect himself, but he did have something else!

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt! Don't aim, just use it!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu didn't question the order. He went along with it and unleashed a torrent of electricity. The audience shielded their eyes as Pikachu's attack produced a blinding light that deterred Dewott's next attack. However, it wasn't the light that forced Dewott to stay away. Aqua Jet would amplify the strength of Thunderbolt, to the point where that move would surely end the battle, so Dewott had no choice but to let Pikachu return to the field and get settled on his feet.

Cedric wrinkled his nose at the sight of Pikachu patting the ground. Dewott was still battling with one arm, so they couldn't let Pikachu run wild with his combination of Quick Attack and Double Team. They had to keep him in check, at least until the paralysis wore off. But Ash and Pikachu wouldn't fall for Water Pledge a second time…at least not if they used it the same way.

"Dewott, use Water Pledge but cover the field with it." Cedric called out. Dewott slapped the field again, assuming control of the moisture that was resting on the field.

"Pikachu!" Ash said with a nod to his partner. There was no need for him to give a command, Pikachu knew what to do. He tore off in a dash, summoning an array of after-images to conceal him as he approached Dewott. However, the water of the field had been gathered around Dewott, coating the ground around him in a layer of water. It was more than enough to deny Pikachu proper footing, causing him to hydroplane. Pikachu gave a shout of astonishment as his after-images disappeared and he went skidding past Dewott.

"Dewott, follow up with Water Pulse!" Cedric added quickly. Dewott hunched his back, gathering some of the water that rested on the field around him and molding it into a dense sphere that he then slapped toward Pikachu using his tail. Pikachu was still fighting to regain control of his movement before he was hit on the back, the sphere detonating on contact which produced a thick cloud of white smoke.

Pikachu came skidding out from the cloud on his side, his fur damp and back aching. The attack hit him as hard as the club of Giselle's Cubone.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" Ash shouted from across the field. Pikachu stuck his hand out to give a thumbs up, though he winced visibly as he got back onto his feet. Ash had assumed that he and Pikachu would take full control of the battle since Dewott was handicapped by the paralysis, but Cedric's response was impressive. Using the water on the field to negate Pikachu's speed was proof of his status as a circuit veteran.

But that was a two-way street.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the ground!" Ash called immediately.

Cedric smiled at Ash's quick adjustment. Water conducts electricity, so their Water Sport would be an asset to Pikachu as well. Or at least, that was what Ash was thinking.

Dewott went down on one knee and set a hand down on the field. The water began to move at his command, clearing away from his feet as Pikachu channeled his electricity. Lightning surged around the field, but Dewott remained safe as he had cleared away an island to stand on. The water crackled for a few moments before the electricity fizzled out and Dewott smirked, unharmed by their attack.

Ash clicked his tongue. A direct Thunderbolt wouldn't work either because Dewott could use his scalchop to block it. Dewott's control over the water on the field also allowed him to redirect the Thunderbolt if they tried to attack using the water. The water also denied Pikachu proper footing to attack with Quick Attack…so the bulk of their offense had been shut down by a single move called Water Sport.

Such a thought would've terrified Ash a month ago. Today, however, he saw this as an opportunity. Dewott was showing full mastery over his ability to manipulate water. Pikachu had been working long and hard on learning how to control his electricity and now was the time to demonstrate everything they had learned.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the water one more time!" Ash called out. Pikachu quickly followed his command and electricity surged across the field, though it failed to reach Dewott a second time. But Ash saw what he was looking for; sparks of electricity in the water.

"Pikachu, I want you to run on your Thunderbolt using Quick Attack!" Ash declared gallantly. Those in the audience who heard his command began to question it immediately, but Pikachu trusted in Ash wholeheartedly. He gripped the field before he darted forward.

As he touched the water, he was met with the same tingling sensation that he felt when releasing electricity from within him. A feeling that was foreign, and yet all too familiar. Latching onto it with each step he took, Pikachu pressed onward much to the shock of the audience. The lack of traction he suffered from earlier was a thing of the past. He tore across the surface of the water and came face to face with Dewott in an instant.

High in the stands, Volker rose to his feet as Pikachu engaged Dewott on the small island that the water type had been located on. Seeing that Pikachu had gotten into striking distance, Dewott drew the one scalchop he could and endowed it with some of the surrounding water to shield himself from Pikachu's onslaught.

"Thunder Wave!" Ash ordered as Pikachu got within range. There was a discharge of electricity as Pikachu's tail met with the scalchop, causing Dewott to cry out as his remaining arm was shocked furiously. His scalchop dropped to the field with a thud, its cyan shielding fading away which left him defenseless.

Cedric's smile grew as he stared at Pikachu, and then to his trainer.

This was a truly a fearsome tag team that he faced today. Separately, Ash and Pikachu had many incredible talents. Pikachu's agility was first-class, and his newly discovered electrical abilities only added to his arsenal. Ash was a talented trainer who could read and react to anything that was happening on the field. But the _trust_ between them was what made them special.

Every decision Ash made, Pikachu believed in without question.

The relationship between them was forged through years of friendship, and reinforced in their training. And the results of it were clear as day.

Pikachu was a blur around Dewott, blending Spark and Quick Attack together seamlessly. Not only was a he battered from all sides, but jolts of electricity would travel through his body with each hit. It dulled his reflexes and left him unable to defend against Pikachu's attacks. It wasn't long before his knees buckled from the damage and he collapsed to the field in a heap.

The inspection from the referee was short before he raised the blue flag and declared the winner. The audience was in a tizzy.

They had never seen anything like it.

Ash Ketchum's rise through the circuit ranks was _unprecedented_! It had barely been six weeks since his debut, and he had just claimed a spot among the top one hundred trainers in the circuit!

There wasn't any doubt among those spectating.

At the age of eighteen, Ash Ketchum was on his way to becoming a legendary Pokemon trainer.

* * *

 **A/N**

So, if you haven't noticed already, I got a cover done for Caged Wings! Check it out!

I know an aspiring graphic designer and he agreed to do a cover for me for free. I was going to be happy with whatever he gave me, but he actually did a really good job! I hope you all like it!

The next chapter is going to be off the hook and I can't wait for you guys to read it. Keep an eye out for my next update. I hoping to get it up before the end of the month, but it's a colossal chapter and it'll probably take some time for us to pick it apart.

Much thanks go out to MjrGenMatt for his help with this chapter and also a big thanks to those of you who reviewed. Your thoughts are always appreciated and I can't wait to see what you guys think of the next chapter. In the meantime, what did you guys think of Ash versus Cedric? I'm trying to make my battles a little more formulaic as opposed to just chaos leading to a knockout. I want it to sort of build-up to that point and just feel like someone got in a lucky punch for the win. Anyway, any feedback is welcome!

In response to the reviewer that was recommending some new additions to Ash's team, I'm sorry to say that his team won't be expanding just yet. I'm more focused on the development of Pikachu. Trust me, I have so many ideas for Ash's team, but its not the time for him to get another Pokemon yet. You'll find out why I'm saying all this in the near future, but for now, I just ask for your patience as the story progresses.

Also, I heard Ash won the Alola League?! I don't follow the anime episode to episode, I usually binge-watch each season when it comes out on Netflix but I guess I have to go look over the league arc before that. I'm seeing like mixed reviews from a lot of people but until I see it myself my opinion is worthless. Maybe in the next chapter, I can say something. We'll see.

Thanks for reading everyone and I hope to see you all again soon! Be good until then!


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